Germany, Netherlands, Croatia, Austria book finals spots
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Article summary
Four more UEFA EURO 2020 finalists are decided while Wales overtook Slovakia in Group E.
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- Germany, Netherlands, Croatia, Austria qualify
- Wales overtake Slovakia, Hungary still second
- Belgium win in Russia to top group
- Groups end Tuesday: matches; standings
- Permutations; play-offs as they stand
- Play-off simulator: who could be involved?
Group C
Germany 4-0 Belarus
Germany qualified for a record 13th successive EURO with an emphatic home win. Centre-back Matthias Ginter opened the scoring with an adroit back-heel before laying on Leon Goretzka with an equally cute dummy. Toni Kroos added two classy goals of his own to help Germany ease to victory. Manuel Neuer saved a penalty.
Northern Ireland 0-0 Netherlands
The Oranje sealed their place at UEFA EURO 2020 despite a goalless draw at Windsor Park – a result that means Northern Ireland must rely on the play-offs. Michael O’Neill’s side began brightly but the Dutch nearly struck when Steven Berghuis clipped the bar. However, the best chance of the game fell to Steven Davis, who fired his 32nd-minute penalty over the bar.
Group E
Croatia 3-1 Slovakia
Croatia overcame a huge scare to qualify as group winners while Slovakia missed the chance to go second and instead are fourth. They trailed at the break to Robert Boženík’s goal, but two goals in four minutes from Nikola Vlašić and Bruno Petković turned it around. Robert Mak was then sent off before Ivan Perišić secured the win, leaving Slovakia’s fate out of their own hands.
Azerbaijan 0-2 Wales
Two first-half goals gave Wales a victory that keeps their automatic qualification hopes alive, needing to beat still second-placed Hungary on Tuesday. Kieffer Moore grabbed the opener, towering at the back post to head in Harry Wilson’s excellent corner. And it was Wilson who grabbed the second, heading in to an empty net from close range after Dan James’s shot hit the crossbar and post.
Group G
Austria 2-1 North Macedonia
Austria sealed qualification, reaching back-to-back EURO tournaments for the first time through David Alaba's composed early finish and Stefan Lainer's close-range second-half strike. Vlatko Stojanovski nodded a last-gasp reply for North Macedonia, who will have the chance to qualify via the play-offs.
Slovenia 1-0 Latvia
Slovenia secured a deserved win via Igors Tarasovs' second-half own goal, although they cannot qualify through Group G after second-placed Austria won against North Macedonia. Latvia keeper Pāvels Šteinbors produced several first-half saves and Jasmin Kurtić was denied by the crossbar, but Slovenia found the breakthrough for the points.
Israel 1-2 Poland
Group winners Poland got off to a flying start when Grzegorz Krychowiak blasted in from close range in the fourth minute. The visitors doubled their advantage when Ofir Marciano fumbled, allowing Krzysztof Piątek to pounce just after the interval. The introduction of Dolev Haziza added a much-needed dimension of creativity to Israel’s game, but could only inspire a late Munas Dabbur consolation. They now head for the play-offs.
Group I
Russia 1-4 Belgium
Belgium secured top spot with a clinical dissecting of their fellow qualifiers. Russia started brightly but Thorgan Hazard crashed in a 19th-minute opener and Roberto Martínez’s men never looked back. Brother Eden rifled home Romelu Lukaku’s knockdown then finished off a devastating counterattack to put the Red Devils 3-0 up at the break. Lukaku added a fourth before Georgi Dzhikiya’s consolation.
Cyprus 1-2 Scotland
Play-off-bound Scotland overtook their hosts to go third in the group but had a scare right at the start when George Efrem hit the underside of the bar and the ball bounced away. Soon after Ryan Christie broke the deadlock for the visitors with a superb curling shot and although Efrem did register with a volley just after half-time, John McGinn quickly responded with his fifth goal of qualifying.
San Marino 1-3 Kazakhstan
Baktiyor Zainutdinov and Aleksei Schetkin both scored headers as Kazakhstan racked up their third win of qualifying, though San Marino were at least able to celebrate their first goal of the campaign thanks to Filippo Berardi's second-half effort. That was San Marino's first goal in 17 games since a 5-1 loss to Azerbaijan on 4 September 2017, and their first in front of their own fans since 10 September 2013 against Poland.