England and France are heading in lockstep towards the 2024 European Championship finals in Germany – and Turkey, with their German coach Stefan Kuntz, has also done their duty. The Bosphorus team drew 2-0 (0-0) against a long-decimated Wales and are at the top of Group D with three wins from four games before the hot qualifying phase in the autumn.
Only the jokers Umut Nayir (72nd) and Arda Güler (80th) decided the game in which the guests from the island were outnumbered by a red card against Joe Morrell for gross foul play (41st). Ex-Bundesliga star Hakan Calhanoglu (64th) missed a penalty, another goal by Turkey was denied. Their biggest rival is probably World Cup third-placed Croatia, who are five points behind but have played two games fewer.
England, on the other hand, easily celebrated their fourth win in four games. Gareth Southgate’s team won an unchallenged 7-0 (3-0) against North Macedonia in Manchester and are comfortably at the top of Group C. Captain Harry Kane, who scored in the sixth international match in a row (29.72./penalty), Bukayo Saka (39th, 47th, 51st), Marcus Rashford (45th) and Kalvin Philipps (64th) scored the more than befitting success out of here.
They are followed by Ukraine, who struggled to win 1-0 (0-0) against the football dwarf Malta – European champions Italy, however, have one game and only three points less.
Vice world champions France, like England, kept their clean sheet thanks to Kylian Mbappe’s 40th international goal. The star ensemble won 1-0 (0-0) against Greece, the first pursuer in Group B, in the Stade de France.
Mbappe redeemed the oppressive French with a penalty kick (55th). With the Greeks, Stuttgart’s Konstantinos Mavropanos (69th) saw the red card after an emergency brake on Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani, before the central defender had already caused the penalty.
Switzerland, on the other hand, missed their fourth victory. The Confederates gave up their clear lead in the final minutes of the 2-2 (2-0) win over Romania in Lucerne, but remain the front runners.
In Group H, however, the semi-finalists Denmark still do not live up to their role as favorites. The 1992 title holder only managed a 1-1 (1-1) draw in Slovenia. After a 6-0 (2-0) win against San Marino and Kazakhstan, who won 1-0 (0-0) in Northern Ireland, Finland are currently on nine points each, in the places that would mean the European Championship ticket. Denmark is two points behind.
2023-06-30 06:06:34
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