Roundup of the opening matchweek of UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers featuring four home nations in action.
This matchweek marked the start of qualifying for UEFA Euro 2024 with several teams across Europe looking to seize the early initiative across ten separate groups.
Now, here is a roundup of all the opening round of qualifiers across all ten groups.
Group A
Scott McTominay’s late brace coupled with John McGinn’s first-half strike fired Scotland past 10-men Cyprus with a 3-0 win to go joint-top of Group A.
Spain sit joint-top with Steve Clarke’s Tartan Army after Joselu’s late brace guided them to an eventual 3-0 home win over Norway, having led through Dani Olmo’s first-half goal.
Group B
Kylian Mbappe’s brace completed France’s 4-0 mauling of the Netherlands in Paris to go top of Group B, after Antoine Griezmann and Dayot Upamecano had put the 2022 FIFA World Cup runners-up 2–0 ahead in the opening eight minutes.
Georgios Masouras, Manolis Siopis and Anastasios Bakasetas all found the net as Greece comfortably claimed a 3-0 away win in Gibraltar.
Republic of Ireland meanwhile were in friendly action which saw them defeat Latvia 3-2.
Group C
Harry Kane’s first-half penalty saw him become England’s all-time record goalscorer in a table-topping 2-1 win against Italy in Naples, in which Declan Rice had put the Three Lions ahead before Luke Shaw was red carded amidst Mateo Retegui’s debut goal for the Italians.
Elif Elmas and Darko Churlinov fired second-placed North Macedonia to a 2-1 win over Malta.
Group D
Orkun Kokcu and Kerem Akturkoglu sealed a comeback 2-1 win for Turkey away to Armenia to top Group D, after Ozan Kabak’s own goal had put the hosts in front.
Nathan Broadhead’s injury-time equaliser cancelled out Andrej Kramaric’s 28th minute opening goal as Wales fought back to draw 1-1 against Croatia in Split.
Group E
Early first-half goals from Ladislav Krecji and Tomas Cvancara saw Czech Republic defeat Poland 3-1 to top Group D, which was capped off by Jan Kuchta’s 64th minute strike before Damian Szymanski netted a late consolatory goal for the Polish.
Ion Nicolaescu’s late penalty cancelled out Mads Mikkelsen’s opening goal as Moldova fought back for a 1-1 draw at home to Faroe Islands.
Group F
Marcel Sabitzer’s brace coupled with goals from Michael Gregoritsch and Christoph Baumgartner saw Austria top Group F with a 4-1 home win over Azerbaijan.
Belgium sit second after Romelu Lukaku’s hat-trick swept aside Sweden away in Solna.
Group G
Goals from Dusan Tadic and Dusan Vlahovic saw Serbia defeat Lithuania 2-0 in Belgrade to top Group G.
Nikola Krstovic’s 70th minute goal saw Montenegro scrape past Bulgaria to sit second in the group.
Group H
Rasmus Hojlund’s hat-trick saw Denmark breeze past Finland in a 3-1 win to top Group H, despite Oliver Antman having produced an equaliser early in the second half.
Dion Charles’ brace saw Northern Ireland clinically beat San Marino to sit second in the group with a 2-0 win in Serravalle.
Second-half goals from David Brekalo and Zan Vipotnik saw Slovenia come from behind to win away at Kazakhstan, who had led through Maksim Samorodov’s 24th minute opening goal.
Group I
Renato Steffen’s hat-trick fired Switzerland top of Group I with a 5-0 demolition of Belarus on neutral territory in Serbia, with Granit Xhaka and Zeki Amdouni also on the scoresheet.
Romania sit second after Dennis Man and Denis Alibec scored in a 2-0 away win against Andorra.
Dor Peretz’s 56th minute equaliser saw Israel snatch a 1-1 draw at home to Kosovo after Elazar Dasa’s own goal had put the visitors ahead in the 36th minute.
Group J
Cristiano Ronaldo netted twice in his world-record 197th senior international appearance as Portugal thrashed Liechtenstein to top Group I, with Joao Cancelo and Bernardo Silva also finding the net in a 4-0 win.
Rade Krunic’s brace plus Amar Dedic’s goal saw Bosnia & Herzegovina hammer Iceland 3-0 in Zenica to go second in the group.
Slovakia and Luxembourg played out a goalless draw in Trnava.
Leave a Reply