Croatia, Denmark qualify for Nations League quarterfinals with draws

MADRID (AP) — Denmark and Croatia completed the Nations League quarterfinals lineup after both sides secured draws on Monday.

Denmark went 0-0 in Serbia, and Croatia came from behind to share 1-1 with visiting Portugal.

They joined France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands in the last eight.

The quarterfinals will be held from March 20-23.

In Warsaw, Liverpool fullback Andy Robertson scored an injury time header to give Scotland a 2-1 win over Poland and send the host down into League B. Scotland has a playoff to secure its League A status.

Northern Ireland will step up to League B after topping its group. Northern Ireland let slip a two-goal lead but drew in Luxembourg 2-2. Romania hammered Cyprus 4-1.

San Marino will jump into Group C after beating Lichtenstein 3-1.

After going nine matches without a win, Scotland appeared rejuvenated as it condemned a Robert Lewandowski-less Poland to League B.

Scotland took just one point from its first four games in Group A1 but beat Croatia at home on Friday and was 1-0 up after three minutes in Warsaw.

Billy Gilmour’s threaded pass found Ben Doak, who rolled the ball to John McGinn to score his second goal in four days.

Scotland hit the woodwork twice in the first half and its inability to open a greater lead almost cost it when Kamil Piątkowski lashed a stunning strike into the top corner of the net to equalize 14 minutes into the second period.

However, Scotland pushed forward for a winner and Robertson headed the decider in the third minute of stoppage time.

Croatia needed only a draw to secure qualification but it made the home fans in Split sweat before getting the point it needed against group winner Portugal.

With 32 minutes gone, João Felix brought down a superb 45-yard pass from Vitinha and slipped the ball under the advancing keeper to give the visitors the lead. When Andrej Kramarić hit the post and Josko Gvardiol had a 62nd minute goal ruled out for offside it looked like it might not be Croatia’s night.

Bu Manchester City’s Gvardiol got the equalizer just a few minutes later and Croatia held on to take the second quarterfinal spot from Group A1.

There was little to play for in Tenerife, where Spain, top of Group A4, took on the already relegated Switzerland.

Coach Luis de la Fuente offered a first start to Barcelona midfielder Marc Casadó and gave debuts to Samu and Aitor Paredes in a much-changed Spain side.

But it was the two Bryans, Gil and Zaragoza, who got the goals that mattered for the European champions.

Pedri’s first half penalty was saved but Yeremi Pino converted to put Spain ahead.

Joel Monteiro equalized for Switzerland after 63 minutes but Bryan Gil got Spain back in front five minutes later. Andi Zeqiri equalized again from the penalty spot with five minutes remaining but a stoppage time penalty from Bryan Zaragoza at the other end gave Spain all three points.

In Leskovac, Serbia controlled most of the game against Denmark but could not get the goal it needed to progress from Group A4. Dušan Vlahović was in fine form for the home side but the Danes held out to take second spot, eight points behind winner Spain but two ahead of the Serbs, for which Strahinja Pavlović was sent off near the end.

Northern Ireland finished on top of Group C3 even though it blew a 2-0 lead in Luxembourg.

Isaac Price opened the scoring after 19 minutes and the Standard Liege midfielder set up Conor Bradley for the second five minutes into the second half. The opener was Northern Ireland’s 100th under coach Michael O’Neill.

However, even though the home side scored twice in the last 18 minutes, Northern Ireland ended its campaign with 11 points, two ahead of Bulgaria, which drew at home with Belarus 1-1. Luxembourg finished last.

Romania finished on top of Group C2 with a 4-1 win over Cyprus. Daniel Bîrligea put Romania ahead after two minutes and Răzvan Marin scored twice before Florinel Coman made it four.

Ioannis Pittas got Cyprus’ goal and the Cypriots' Konstantinos Laifis was sent off 13 minutes from time.

Kosovo beat Lithuania 1-0 with an early goal from Muharrem Jashari, who was also sent off on the stroke of halftime.

Kosovo finished second, three points behind Romania, but an asterisk remains over the final placings following the abandonment of Friday’s match between the teams in Bucharest.

The Kosovo players alleged they were victims of pro-Serbian chants by the home fans and walked off the field in the final minute. UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings.

San Marino will go into Group C at the expense of Gibraltar after beating Lichtenstein 3-1. Gibraltar started the day in pole position with six points but San Marino recovered from being 1-0 down at halftime to score three times in the second half.

Victory also lifted San Marino within reach of a place in the World Cup qualifying playoffs.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Spain's Zaragoza celebrates scoring his side's third goal during a Nations League soccer match between Spain and Switzerland, at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium in Tenerife, Spain, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Angel Fernandez)

Spain's Yeremy Pino, left, celebrates with Niko Williams the opening goal during a Nations League soccer match between Spain and Switzerland, at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium in Tenerife, Spain, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Angel Fernandez)

Scotland's Andy Robertson, right, celebrates with his teammates after scoring the second goal during the Nations League soccer match between Poland and Scotland at Narodowy stadium in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Scotland's John McGinn, center, celebrates with his teammates after scoring the opening goal during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Poland and Scotland at Narodowy stadium in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Spain's Yeremy Pino celebrates with Niko Williams the opening goal during a Nations League soccer match between Spain and Switzerland, at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium in Tenerife, Spain, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Angel Fernandez)

Portugal's Joao Felix scores his side's first goal during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Croatia and Portugal at Poljud stadium in Split, Croatia, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Scotland's Andy Robertson reacts during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Poland and Scotland at Narodowy stadium in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Portugal's Joao Felix celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Croatia and Portugal at Poljud stadium in Split, Croatia, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Spain's Yeremy Pino celebrates next to Niko Williams the opening goal during a Nations League soccer match between Spain and Switzerland, at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium in Tenerife, Spain, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Angel Fernandez)

Switzerland's Granit Xhaka reacts during a Nations League soccer match between Spain and Switzerland, at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium in Tenerife, Spain, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Angel Fernandez)

DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government's automobile safety ratings will get a major update starting with the 2026 model year when regulators add new driver-assistance technologies and tests for protecting pedestrians.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday that it has finalized the changes, which were required by Congress under the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law.

In addition to the five-star ratings for crash tests, the agency will add four new technologies including pedestrian automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, blind spot warning, and intervention if a driver tries to move toward a vehicle in a blind spot.

The new rule also strengthens test procedures and performance standards for technology that's already included in the ratings such as automatic emergency braking.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, whose department includes NHTSA, said the previous ratings, which went into effect in 1978, have helped the industry rise to higher safety standards.

The new requirements make sure “that the evaluation of these cars includes not just the safety of people inside vehicles during a crash, but how the design of a vehicle could prevent a crash or make it less fatal for someone outside the vehicle," Buttigieg said in an interview with The Associated Press.

The agency said that the five-star crash test ratings, which most vehicles now get, would not change under the new system. But consumers would also see green check marks on NHTSA's website if vehicles they're shopping for have the safety features, and they can be assured that the features meet standards set by the government, Buttigieg said.

Early on, the features will get a pass or fail grade, but later will get scores so buyers can compare vehicles, he said.

The standards, which will start showing up this coming August, should motivate automakers to speed up deployment of the features, he said. Automakers already use crash test ratings to compete for customers, and Buttigieg expects that to happen with the new features as well.

The safety devices can either be standard equipment or optional, the agency said.

“We hope that this will move the market in that direction, that consumers will have another reason to be conscious that these features exist and then ask whether the car are thinking about buying has those features,” he said.

The new standards also will strengthen test procedures for safety features that are already included such as automatic emergency braking, the agency said. Automatic emergency braking will have to meet tough requirements and be standard equipment on all passenger vehicles by 2029.

The agency also will set design standards to mitigate injuries to pedestrians, following most of the regulations already in effect in Europe. The standards will set a minimum threshold for points of impact and injuries to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle at 25 miles per hour (40 kilometers per hour).

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a large industry trade group, said the updated standards are needed. But for the standards to accelerate industry investment, they need to be "updated on a more predictable and frequent cadence,” the association said.

Buttigieg said this is the first of multiple regulations that his department wants to put into effect before the end of President Joe Biden's term of office. He wouldn't say what other regulations could go into effect.

“We’ve been full steam ahead on a number of rulemakings," he said. "We’ve kept that pace up regardless of what we anticipated in the election. So you can expect us to continue to sprint through the tape, especially on rules that we know are going to make a big difference, that we think will be well-received by the public and that we’ve put a lot of work into already.”

Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, said the U.S. is still playing catch up to other nations on vehicle standards. She urged the Transportation Department to approve automatic emergency braking for heavy trucks, technology to prevent impaired driving, front passenger and rear seat belt reminders and other pending safety technologies.

The standards, last updated in in 2008 for 2011 models, have brought significant reductions in crashes, deaths and injuries, the agency said. The number of people inside vehicles who were killed in traffic crashes fell from 32,043 in 2001 to 26,325 in 2021. But pedestrian deaths rose 51% to 7,388 during the same period, so improvements are needed, the agency said.

Last year nearly 41,000 people died in traffic crashes nationwide, a 3.6% decline over 2022, according to NHTSA estimates. Fatalities have declined for nine straight quarters.

But deaths spiked in 2021 with a 10.5% increase over 2020 as people started driving more as the COVID-19 pandemic started to ease. That was the highest number since 2005 and the largest percentage increase since 1975.

This story has been corrected to show that safety features can either be standard equipment or options for companies to get credit for having them.

FILE - Evening rush hour traffic fills Highway 50, Jan. 26, 2017, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)