LONDON:
Portugal completed their Euro 2024 qualifying marketing campaign with a 100-percent file by beating Iceland 2-0 on Sunday, after Serbia booked their place at subsequent 12 months’s finals in Germany and Romelu Lukaku scored 4 targets for Belgium.
Bruno Fernandes and Ricardo Horta netted the targets for Roberto Martinez’s Portugal, with Cristiano Ronaldo not on the scoresheet, to finish with 10 wins from 10 matches in Group J.
The 2016 winners will likely be among the many favourites for the title in what could possibly be the 38-year-old Ronaldo’s final main event.
Slovakia completed eight factors behind Portugal within the second qualifying place after a 2-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in Zenica.
Luxembourg, who will head into the play-offs, had been an extra 5 factors adrift after closing out a powerful group-stage exhibiting with a 1-0 success in Leichtenstein.
Earlier Sunday, Serbia certified for the primary time as an impartial nation, after 4 earlier failures to get to the principle occasion, with a 2-2 draw towards Bulgaria.
The Serbs end second in Group G behind Hungary who snuffed out any hopes Montenegro had of progressing by beating them 3-1 in Budapest.
“The gamers confirmed a mentality of not giving up, believing in themselves,” mentioned Serbia coach Dragan Stojkovic.
“It is a huge day for Serbian soccer. Serbia is lastly on the European Championship.
“I congratulate my boys, who fought till the top and believed. We’re pleased and happy.”
Centre-back Milos Veljkovic put Serbia forward within the seventeenth minute earlier than substitute Georgi Rusev levelled for Bulgaria within the 59th.
Ten minutes later Kiril Despodov put the guests forward however Srdjan Babic equalised eight minutes from time to make sure Serbia would grow to be the seventeenth staff to qualify for Euro 2024.
Montenegro wanted Serbia to lose to have any hope of taking their place in Germany but in addition wanted to win towards the Hungarians who’ve eased impressively via qualifying.
Slobodan Rubezic put Montenegro forward on 36 minutes however Hungary hit again i the second half with two targets in three minutes from Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai earlier than Zsolt Nagy rounded off the win in added time.
Lukaku scored 4 targets as Belgium completed with a 5-0 thrashing of Azerbaijan.
Roma striker Lukaku prolonged his file tally of worldwide targets for Belgium to 83, with all of his targets coming in a outstanding first half in Brussels.
He opened the scoring within the seventeenth minute by changing a Jeremy Doku cross, earlier than Eddy Israfilov was proven a second yellow card seven minutes later to go away the Azeris with a mountain to climb.
Lukaku fired residence shortly afterwards after which headed in Wout Faes’ supply to finish a hat-trick.
He rounded off his scoring spree of 4 targets in 20 minutes earlier than being changed by Lois Openda at half-time.
The Belgians took their foot off the gasoline within the second interval however Leandro Trossard added a fifth within the ninetieth minute from one other Doku help.
Belgium completed high of Group F, one level away from Austria, with each having wrapped up qualification with matches to spare.
Sweden ended a depressing marketing campaign, during which they did not qualify for a European Championship for the primary time since 1996, with a 2-0 win over Estonia within the different sport within the group.
Barcelona star Gavi limped off with a nasty knee harm in Spain’s 3-1 victory towards Georgia which secured high spot in Group A above Scotland.
The 19-year-old was tackled from behind within the first half, buckling the knee that had his weight on it, earlier than leaving the pitch in tears.
“This can be a very powerful and really troublesome second,” mentioned Spain coach Luis de la Fuente.
“For the (Spanish soccer) federation, for me, for his pals. However above all for him and for his membership.
“We’re destroyed. Soccer is a threat sport and that is the ugly a part of our sport.”
Objectives from Robin Le Normand and Ferran Torres and a Luka Lochoshvili personal objective helped Spain previous a spirited Georgia, who drew degree at 1-1 early on via Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Already-qualified Scotland wanted to beat Norway and hope for Spain to slide as much as snatch first place, however had been held to a dramatic 3-3 draw at Hampden Park
