European Qualifiers: Italy, Hungary and Denmark win

Italy, Hungary and Denmark took a step closer to securing EURO 2024 qualification with victories on Saturday as Matchday 7 concluded.

On Friday France, Belgium and Portugal booked their places at the finals, while on Thursday Spain ended Scotland's perfect start, Türkiye defeated Croatia and Albania saw off Czechia.

UEFA.com rounds up the Matchday 7 action on the road to the finals in Germany.

Saturday's results

Group C: Ukraine 2-0 North Macedonia, Italy 4-0 Malta
Group G: Bulgaria 0-2 Lithuania, Hungary 2-1 Serbia
Group H: Northern Ireland 3-0 San Marino, Slovenia 3-0 Finland, Denmark 3-1 Kazakhstan

Italy 4-0 Malta

Italy kept up the pressure on Group C leaders England with a convincing win in Bari.

Giacomo Bonaventura, making his first Azzurri appearance in three years, opened his international account with an impressive curling strike midway through the first half. The reigning European champions doubled their advantage just before the interval, Domenico Berardi guiding a left-footed finish in off the upright.

The Sassuolo forward struck again soon after the hour, pouncing on a loose ball in the area to power in with his right. Substitute Davide Frattesi added a fourth with a low effort just before the final whistle.

Key stat: Aged 34 years 53 days Bonaventura became the oldest Italy player to score his first Azzurri goal.

Hungary 2-1 Serbia

Hungary moved three points clear at the Group G summit with a game in hand on second-placed Serbia, who they beat at the Puskás Aréna with Barnabás Varga firing the hosts in front after 20 minutes with a brilliant first-time finish.

Strahinja Pavlović equalised for the visitors in the 33rd minute, heading in Andrija Živković's corner, but Hungary struck what proved to be the decisive blow a minute later, Roland Sallai settling the contest with a stunning 25-metre volley into the top corner.

Key stat: Hungary are now unbeaten in nine matches, winning six.

Denmark 3-1 Kazakhstan

Robert Skov's well-taken double helped Denmark to a crucial win in Copenhagen which kept them level on points with Group H leaders Slovenia. Jonas Wind turned in the opener from a set piece before Skov got on the end of Rasmus Højlund’s cross to sweep in.

The wing-back ran on to convert Christian Eriksen's pass at the start of the second half and while substitute Yan Vorogovskiy side-footed in a powerful response, Denmark were comfortable winners.

Key stat: Captain Simon Kjær won a record-equalling 129th cap for Denmark, taking him level with Peter Schmeichel.

Elsewhere

• Ukraine kept up the pressure on England and Italy in Group C as goals from Georgiy Sudakov and Oleksandr Karavaiev earned victory against North Macedonia. They are now three points behind the Three Lions and level with the Azzurri, although they have played a match more than both.
• Benjamin Šeško's two goals inspired Slovenia to a crucial victory over Finland in Group H. They top the group with three games remaining, but are only above Denmark on goal difference.
• Northern Ireland won their first match since Matchday 1 in Group H after comfortably seeing off San Marino. However, they are now unable to finish in the top two due to Slovenia and Denmark winning.

Friday's results

Group B: Netherlands 1-2 France, Republic of Ireland 0-2 Greece
Group F: Austria 2-3 Belgium, Estonia 0-2 Azerbaijan
Group J: Iceland 1-1 Luxembourg, Liechtenstein 0-2 Bosnia and Herzegovina, Portugal 3-2 Slovakia

Netherlands 1-2 France

France booked their place at the finals thanks to Kylian Mbappé's stunning double. The visiting captain hooked an acrobatic volley into the net from Jonathan Clauss' seventh-minute cross then doubled Les Bleus' advantage eight minutes into the second half, curling an exquisite strike out of reach of home goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.

Oranje debutant Quilindschy Hartman threatened to spark a comeback when he beat Mike Maignan with a low shot from a tight angle late on while Mbappé almost clinched his hat-trick, only for his fierce effort to strike the crossbar.

Key stat: Mbappé's double took his France tally to 42 goals, putting him fourth in the nation's all-time leading scorers behind only Antoine Griezmann (44), Thierry Henry (51) and Olivier Giroud (54).

Austria 2-3 Belgium

Unbeaten Belgium survived a spirited Austria comeback to qualify through strikes by Dodi Lukebakio in either half and Romelu Lukaku's 58th-minute finish.

The Red Devils looked comfortable when Lukaku slotted in their third from Jérémy Doku's precise pass but Konrad Laimer's drive from distance and Marcel Sabitzer's penalty gave the hosts hope either side of Amadou Onana's dismissal for a second yellow card.

Ralf Rangnick's side remain seven points clear of third-placed Sweden, who have three games left to play.

Key stat: Belgium's last defeat in EURO qualifying was a 1-0 reverse in Wales in June 2015.

Portugal 3-2 Slovakia

Cristiano Ronaldo reached yet another landmark as his double ensured that Portugal qualified for next year's finals in Germany. The 38-year-old moved to 125 international goals as Roberto Martínez's side continued their 100% record in Group J.

Portugal were dominant in the first half, taking the lead with a powerful header from Gonçalo Ramos before Ronaldo scored from the spot after a handball by Denis Vavro.

Dávid Hancko's deflected strike gave Slovakia hope – the first goal Portugal had conceded in qualifying – but Ronaldo soon tapped in a Bruno Fernandes cross. Stanislav Lobotka's excellent long-range strike made for a nervy finale but Portugal held on.

Key stat: Portugal have lost only one of their last 28 home EURO qualifying matches (W21 D6).

Elsewhere

• Greece made the most of the Netherlands' reverse to move three points ahead of the Oranje, though they have played a game more. Giorgos Giakoumakis and Giorgos Masouras were on target in the first half as they won 2-0 away to the Republic of Ireland.
• It was a similar story for Bosnia and Herzegovina, who are now four points adrift of second-placed Slovakia after beating Liechtenstein 2-0. They also scored two first-half goals, Amar Rahmanović and Miroslav Stevanović earning the victory for Savo Milošević's men.

Thursday's results

Group A: Cyprus 0-4 Norway, Spain 2-0 Scotland
Group D: Croatia 0-1 Türkiye, Latvia 2-0 Armenia
Group E: Albania 3-0 Czechia, Faroe Islands 0-2 Poland
Group I*: Andorra 0-3 Kosovo, Belarus 0-0 Romania

*The postponed match between Israel and Switzerland has been rescheduled for Wednesday 15 November.

Spain 2-0 Scotland

Spain saw off a stubborn Scotland to move three points behind them with a game in hand at the top of Group A, going ahead through captain Álvaro Morata's 73rd-minute header and sealing victory courtesy of debutant Oihan Sancet's close-range finish four minutes from time.

La Roja midfielder Mikel Merino shot against a post during the first half as the visitors' perfect group stage record ended, although Steve Clarke's side, who would have qualified with a draw, remain well placed to reach the finals.

Key stat: Spain have won 25 successive EURO qualifying home matches since a 1-0 defeat against Greece in June 2003.

Croatia 0-1 Türkiye

Barış Alper Yılmaz was the hero as Türkiye overtook Croatia to move to the Group D summit after a hard-earned win in Osijek.

Vincenzo Montella made a winning start to his tenure with the Crescent-Stars, who condemned their hosts to a first ever home defeat in a EURO qualifier.

Yılmaz settled the contest on the half-hour as he raced onto Salih Özcan's through ball, before delightfully lifting over the advancing Dominik Livaković.

Key stat: Croatia suffered their first defeat in 11 EURO qualifiers, having won seven and drawn three of their previous ten.

Albania 3-0 Czechia

Jasir Asani’s sweetly struck ninth-minute opener came against the run of play, with Czechia having been better in the early stages in Tirana. But once Albania led, this game was relatively comfortable for the Group E leaders with Czechia losing Mojmír Chytil to a second booking late in the first half.

Taulant Seferi duly scored a second-half double, both from inside the box, as Albania opened up a four-point advantage at the top of Group E, with Czechia five points further back in third place.

Key stat: Albania have won four and drawn one of their last five EURO qualification matches, while Czechia's run of six matches unbeaten in all competitions has come to an end.

Elsewhere

• Erling Haaland scored his fifth and sixth goals of the qualification campaign as Norway saw off point-less Cyprus in Group A. Haaland's side remain third, two points behind Spain but having played a match more.
• Poland moved second in Group E after a comfortable away win against Faroe Islands thanks to goals from Sebastian Szymański and Adam Buksa.
• Ukraine kept up the pressure on England and Italy in Group C as goals from Georgiy Sudakov and Oleksandr Karavaiev saw them secure victory against North Macedonia. They are now three points behind the Three Lions and