Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring his aspect’s second objective from the penalty spot in the course of the Euro 2024 group J qualifying match between Portugal and Slovakia on the Dragao stadium in Porto, Portugal, on October 13, 2023
| Photo Credit: AP
Kylian Mbappé and Cristiano Ronaldo each scored twice to assist France and Portugal safe a spot at subsequent yr’s European Championship with an ideal file in qualifying, with Belgium additionally clinching a berth in Germany on Friday.
The three European powerhouses all wanted a win to qualify for the match and their star strikers made certain they acquired them.
Mbappé’s two targets — together with a long-range strike for the second — helped safe a 2-1 win over the Netherlands in Amsterdam for an ideal sixth win in Group B.
Mbappé opened the scoring in simply the seventh minute when he beat Lutsharel Geertruida to a cross from the correct by Jonathan Clauss to volley previous Brighton goalkeeper Bert Verbruggen, who was making his debut for the Netherlands.
It was Mbappé’s forty first worldwide objective, drawing him stage with France nice Michel Platini.
Mbappé doubled the lead within the 53rd minute when he exchanged passes with Adrien Rabiot on the sting of the Netherlands’ penalty space earlier than curling a shot over Verbruggen.
Feyenoord midfielder Quilindschy Hartman, in his first full worldwide look, made it 2-1 with 10 minutes to go. It was the primary objective France has conceded within the marketing campaign.
Greece moved as much as the second place with 12 factors after Giakoumakis and Giorgos Masouras scored a objective a chunk to beat Ireland 2-0 in Dublin.
The Netherlands stays on 9 in third with a sport in hand. The prime two groups in every group straight qualify.
Ronaldo’s file at 125 targets
Ronaldo’s double improved his file tally of worldwide targets to 125 in 202 appearances and led Portugal to a 3-2 win over Slovakia.
Ronaldo transformed from the penalty spot within the twenty ninth minute, sending Slovakia goalkeeper Martin Dúbravka the fallacious method to double the result in 2-0.
Forward Gonçalo Ramos had given the hosts the lead with a header 11 minutes earlier.
After David Hancko pulled one again for Slovakia within the second half, Ronaldo restored a two-goal benefit off a low cross from Bruno Fernandes that discovered him on the far publish.
He jumped excessive in his trademark celebration in entrance of the roaring followers in Porto after his seventh objective in six qualifying video games.
Stanislav Lobotka scored the second for Slovakia within the eightieth.
With three video games to go, Portugal has 100% file after seven straight wins with a 27-2 objective distinction, the all-time efficiency in a European qualifying marketing campaign. Slovakia was the primary group to attain towards Portugal.
“The objective has been achieved, the first half was extraordinary and in the second we could have scored more goals,” Fernandes mentioned. “Being in the European finals is the fulfilment of another dream.”
Slovakia remains on 13 points in second with Luxembourg trailing by two in third after holding Iceland to a 1-1 draw in Reykjavik.
Bosnia won 2-0 at pointless Lichtenstein and is fourth on nine with Iceland another two back.
Lukaku tops scoring table
Romelu Lukaku scored again and Dodi Lukebakio added two more for Belgium, which had to hang on with 10 men to beat Austria 3-2 in Vienna and secure advancement from Group F.
Lukaku beat goalkeeper Alexander Schlager to make it 3-0 after collecting a precise pass from Jérémy Doku in the 58th, just three minutes after Lukebakio scored his second.
Lukaku tops the scoring table in qualifying with nine goals from six games to take his international tally to 79.
Lukebakio broke down the right before netting inside the far post from a tight angel to put the Red Devils ahead in the 12th. It was the first international goal for the Sevilla forward.
“I was waiting for these goals for a long time,” Lukebakio mentioned. “I couldn’t have considered a greater second for my first Belgium targets.” Konrad Laimer pulled one again for Austria within the 72nd and Belgium then went right down to 10 males six minutes later when midfielder Amadou Onana was despatched off for a second reserving. Marcel Sabitzer netted Austria’s second from the penalty spot within the 84th however the hosts could not discover an equalizer.
Belgium has 16 factors from six video games, with Austria three factors behind after its first loss in qualifying.
Sweden, which was idle Friday, is in third on six factors from 5 video games and nonetheless has a small likelihood of overtaking Austria.
In the group’s different sport, Azerbaijan gained 2-0 at Estonia to register its first victory and climb to 4 factors. Estonia has one level.
Source web site: www.thehindu.com
