Hungary and Slovakia, qualified for EURO 2024
MADRID, 16 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Portuguese team beat Liechtenstein (0-2) this Thursday on the penultimate day of the qualifying phase for Euro 2024, extending its total of victories with goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Cancelo, while Hungary and Slovakia They secured their ticket to the tournament.
The era of Roberto Martínez on the Portuguese bench did not find a brake despite a thick first half, where the rival wall disconnected the virtues of its powerful rival. With a gala eleven, Portugal went to half-time with just one chance from Gonçalo Ramos, but two minutes into the second half Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring.
The FC Barcelona player Cancelo doubled the score shortly after to end Liechtenstein’s resistance and the VAR prevented the visitor’s third, created by Gonçalo Ramos but ruled out for offside. Portugal thus adds 27 possible points from its nine games, at the top of Group J where Slovakia achieved its mathematical ticket to the European Championship in Germany, with one game remaining.
Lukas Haraslin’s two goals in the second half confirmed the victory and the Slovak victory (4-2) over Iceland, celebrated in style at the Tehelné Pole in Bratislava. Rushing its options but without a reward, Luxembourg thrashed Bosnia (4-1).
For its part, Hungary, which depended on itself, also ensured its presence in the continental event next summer with a draw (2-2) against Bulgaria that came in the 97th minute with an own goal by Alex Petkov. Montenegro, who beat Lithuania (2-0), maintains a chance of qualifying in the last match, as does Serbia, who is also competing for first place among the Hungarians.
Furthermore, within Group A, Spain took the penultimate step to be first and enter the seeding pot with its victory (1-3) in Cyprus. Luis de la Fuente’s men have 18 points compared to the 16 of a Scotland that tied in extremis (2-2) with a Georgia that went ahead twice with a double from Kvaratskhelia.
Meanwhile, in Group F, Austria did its homework to have a chance of being first, with its victory (0-2) against Estonia with a good game from Real Madrid player David Alaba. With 19 points, the Austrian team will have to wait for a miracle: that Belgium (17) does not beat Azerbaijan at home on the last day.