Winning starts for Austria, Belgium and Portugal
Thursday, May 5, 2016
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Austria and Belgium registered 2-0 victories in their first matches of the 2016 finals, Germany twice levelled against Ukraine and Portugal put five past hosts Azerbaijan.
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Group A
Belgium 2-0 Scotland
Belgium made the breakthrough with their first shot on target in a contest between two evenly-matched sides. The clearest opening of the first half fell to Connor McLennan, whose attempt was blocked by the outrushing Mile Svilar. Unmarked, Milan Corryn headed in Xian Emmers' left-wing delivery to the back post five minutes after the restart. Loïs Openda made the points safe on the hour, firing a low shot from just outside the area beyond Aidan McAdams.
Azerbaijan 0-5 Portugal
Two José Gomes goals inside the opening 17 minutes teed Portugal up for an emphatic triumph over the debutants in front of a competition record crowd of 33,000. Gomes, on target five times in qualifying, nodded in Rúben Vinagre's corner before pouncing after Azerbaijan keeper Mammad Huseynov collided with captain Elchin Asadov as he tried to claim a seemingly harmless cross. Asadov's misery was soon compounded when he diverted a cut-back past Huseynov. Miguel Luis made it 4-0 with a curling shot. Gedson Fernandes rounded things off from distance.
Group B
Austria 2-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Two first-half goals from Christoph Baumgartner got Austria off to a flyer. Andreas Heraf's side made much of the early running, the pacey Kelvin Arase a threat up front, and were rewarded when Baumgartner dispatched left-back Alexander Burgstaller's ball. Baumgartner doubled his and Austria's tally four minutes before the break after running onto Romano Schmid's measured pass. The No10 might have completed his hat-trick in the second half, shooting wide when well-placed inside the box.
Ukraine 2-2 Germany
Germany twice came from behind to earn a point their performance merited. Andriy Lunin excelled in goal for Ukraine and had already denied Kai Havertz by the time Yanakov slotted in Olexiy Khakhlov's free-kick to the far post. Yari Otto swiftly levelled following a scramble in the box, while after the break Lunin twice thwarted Arne Maier. Serhiy Buletsa restored Ukraine's lead with a low drive, only for Sam Francis Schreck to equalise with six minutes left, following up after Lunin had repelled a Jano Baxmann effort.