European Qualifiers round-up: Portugal and Scotland win, Belgium held
Saturday, June 17, 2023
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UEFA Champions League winners Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland both scored but had contrasting evenings as Matchday 3 of the European Qualifiers concluded.
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Bernardo Silva added more sparkle to a memorable season with Portugal's opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but Scotland stunned Erling Haaland's Norway and Belgium were held at home by Austria.
UEFA.com rounds up the Matchday 3 qualifying action on the road to the finals in Germany.
Saturday's results
Group A: Norway 1-2 Scotland, Cyprus 1-2 Georgia
Group E: Albania 2-0 Moldova, Faroe Islands 0-3 Czechia
Group F: Azerbaijan 1-1 Estonia, Belgium 1-1 Austria
Group G: Lithuania 1-1 Bulgaria, Montenegro 0-0 Hungary
Group J: Luxembourg 2-0 Liechtenstein, Iceland 1-2 Slovakia, Portugal 3-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Portugal 3-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Group J leaders kept up their winning start to the campaign thanks to Bernardo Silva's opener and a double from Bruno Fernandes. The Seleção struck just before half-time via an exquisite left-footed dinked finish from the Man City midfielder, after a perfectly weighted through ball by Fernandes.
The Man United man got on the scoresheet himself twice late on; the first was an unstoppable header, the second a spectacular half-volley in added time.
Did you know? Portugal have won their opening three qualifiers of a EURO campaign for the first time since the preliminaries for EURO '96.
Austria retained their place at the top of Group F after an entertaining draw in Brussels. Ralf Rangnick's side took a 21st-minute lead when Michael Gregoritsch's volley was flicked beyond goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois by Belgium midfielder Orel Mangala, but the hosts re-emerged looking determined to extend their run of 15 successive EURO qualifying victories.
Captain Romelu Lukaku equalised with a fierce drive from the edge of the penalty area 16 minutes after the break and Youri Tielemans struck the crossbar with a last-gasp shot as the Red Devils stayed three points shy of the summit with a game in hand.
Did you know? Lukaku's goal was the Inter striker's 39th in his last 35 international appearances.
Scotland maintained their 100% record in Group A after coming from behind in Oslo. Norway dominated and should have taken the lead in the first half when Alexander Sørloth headed straight at goalkeeper Angus Gunn. They were ahead after 61 minutes, however, Erling Haaland sending his penalty into the bottom left corner after being fouled in the box.
The Man City man left the pitch in triumph when he was substituted, only for Scotland to strike twice in the space of three minutes. Lyndon Dykes pounced on a miscued interception in the Norway defence to prod his side level on 87 minutes before teeing up substitute Kenny McLean for the winner two minutes later.
Did you know? Haaland's 53rd goal of the season ended a five-game barren spell in all competitions.
Elsewhere
- Czechia will spend the summer at the top of Group E after a comfortable victory in the Faroe Islands. Ladislav Krejčí, who this season captained Sparta Praha to their first league title since 2014, scored the opener in Torshavn. Václav Černý got the other two.
- Elsewhere in Group E, Albania picked up their first points; Jasir Asani marked his second appearance for the national team with his first goal for his country, with Nedim Bajrami hitting the second against Moldova.
- With Spain busy at the UEFA Nations League, Georgia moved up to second in Group A behind Scotland, Zuriko Davitashvili (who spent the season in France on loan at Bordeaux) scoring their late winner in Cyprus.
Friday's results
Group B: Gibraltar 0-3 France, Greece 2-1 Republic of Ireland
Group C: Malta 0-4 England, North Macedonia 2-3 Ukraine
Group D: Latvia 2-3 Türkiye, Wales 2-4 Armenia
Group H: Denmark 1-0 Northern Ireland, Finland 2-0 Slovenia, San Marino 0-3 Kazakhstan
Group I: Andorra 1-2 Switzerland, Belarus 1-2 Israel, Kosovo 0-0 Romania
Malta 0-4 England
Harry Kane was among the scorers as the Three Lions consolidated first place in Group C with a comfortable win.
Ferdinando Apap inadvertently steered the ball into his own net to open the scoring, before Trent Alexander-Arnold – starting in midfield – doubled England's advantage with a magnificent curling drive from the edge of the penalty area.
Kane converted from the spot after going to ground under Matthew Guillaumier's challenge, and substitute Callum Wilson made it 4-0 with another penalty after Steve Borg was adjudged to have handled.
Key stat: Kane's first-half penalty was his 50th competitive goal for England.
Gibraltar 0-3 France
Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappé both scored as France maintained their unblemished record in Group B with victory over Gibraltar.
Giroud headed Kingsley Coman's delivery past goalkeeper Dayle Coleing to give Les Bleus an early lead, but Gibraltar recovered well from that early setback and managed to keep France at bay until first-half added time. Roy Chipolina was penalised for handball inside the area, allowing Mbappé to fire in the resulting spot kick on the stroke of half-time.
Antoine Griezmann was denied by a post early in the second half, but Didier Deschamps' side eventually got their third of the night when Aymen Mouelhi steered Mbappé's low delivery into his own net.
Key stat: Olivier Giroud has scored 16 headed goals for France, at least ten more than any other player in the 21st century.
Denmark 1-0 Northern Ireland
Denmark are one of four teams on six points in Group H as Jonas Wind's close-range finish gave them victory over a stubborn Northern Ireland side.
Wind capitalised in the 47th minute after successive crosses caused confusion in the visiting defence, and his side almost scored again when Pierre-Emile Højbjerg shot wide and Rasmus Højlund was denied by Bailey Peacock-Farrell.
The Burnley goalkeeper nearly provided an assist when Isaac Price collected his long pass and tested Kasper Schmeichel. Northern Ireland looked to have levelled deep into added time, but Jonny Evans was subsequently adjudged to be offside.
Key stat: Denmark have lost only one of their last 16 home EURO qualifying matches, winning each of their last five among 13 victories on that run.
Elsewhere
- Group I pacesetters Switzerland are one of only three teams – along with England and France – to have racked up nine points following their 2-1 win in Andorra, Remo Freuler and Zeki Amdouni the scorers.
- Ukraine came from 2-0 down to defeat ten-man North Macedonia and move level with their opponents on three points in Group C.
- Grant-Leon Ranos and Lucas Zelarayán both scored twice as Armenia won 4-2 in Wales to get off the mark in Group D. Türkiye lead the way, however, following a 3-2 away win against Latvia which came courtesy of İrfan Can Kahveci's effort deep into added time.
