What we beheld in September’s European Qualifiers
What do we consider of a choices? What stood out for you? Let us know regulating #WCQ on @EuroQualifiers
- The results: Thursday to Saturday, Sunday to Tuesday
- The highlights
- The organisation standings
- Who need what to qualify
- Next matches from 5 October
Key numbers …
Teams
Qualified: Belgium
Most points: Germany, Switzerland 24 (i.e. 100% record)
Unbeaten: Belgium, England, Germany, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, Wales
Most goals: Belgium, Germany 35
Fewest conceded: Germany, Northern Ireland 2
Players
Most goals: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) 14
Most assists: Joshua Kimmich (Germany), Dries Martens (Belgium), Miralem Pjanić (Bosnia and Herzegovina) Dušan Tadić (Serbia) 7
Most saves: Aldo Simoncini (San Marino) 52
Cristiano Ronaldo in environment new record shock!
Ronaldo’s initial goal opposite a Faroe Islands on Thursday took him transparent of Sándor Kocsis in second place in a list of all-time European general scorers. By a time he finished his hat-trick Ronaldo was not usually brazen of Pelé on 78 general goals (and in a worldwide all-time tip five), yet adult to 14 in this subordinate campaign, the many ever scored in a UEFA group.
Predrag Mijatović did also get 14 for Yugoslavia in 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifying, yet that enclosed 7 in a play-offs. Ronaldo is now one brazen of dual players who managed 13 in UEFA EURO subordinate groups – David Healy (2008) and Robert Lewandowski (2016).
Not usually that, yet Ronaldo is now a undisguised all-time tip scorer in European World Cup subordinate (29, 3 transparent of Andriy Shevchenko) and in career World Cup goals including finals among Europeans (32, 3 transparent of Miroslav Klose). He is one divided from reaching 50 in all qualifiers.
Belgium’s decent week …
When we have been personification for 113 years, opportunities to set organisation annals do not come around that often. But on Thursday Belgium managed usually that, defeating Gibraltar 9-0 to equal their record domain of feat (9-0 v Zambia in 1994 and 10-1 v San Marino in 2001). Remarkably, they played over half a diversion with 10 organisation following a red label for Axel Witsel.
A win in Greece on Sunday finished Belgium a initial (and so distant only) European organisation to join Russia in a finals, Romelu Lukaku clinching it 16 mins from time.
… France’s churned week
Thursday could not have left most improved for France. Not usually did they overwhelm a Netherlands 4-0, yet a organisation that had led Les Bleus on idea disproportion during kick-off, Sweden, mislaid 3-2 in Bulgaria. Now involuntary gift was behind in French hands. What they did not design when they trafficked from Paris to Toulouse to face Luxembourg on Sunday was to be held 0-0.
France had 32 attempts on idea to Luxembourg’s three and 74% of possession yet it did not forestall them from unwell to kick their neighbours for a initial time given 1914 as their lead over Sweden was cut to a singular point. Visiting manager Luc Holtz, whose organisation are off a bottom of Group A after also violence Belarus 1-0 on Thursday, said: “It’s a day of excellence for Luxembourg football.”
Wales consternation during Woodburn
Having reached a UEFA EURO 2016 semi-finals, Wales started this debate carefree of creation a initial World Cup given 1958. Five true draws had left them 4 points adrift of a tip dual in Group D, and 69 mins into Saturday’s home diversion with Austria not even a returning Gareth Bale could mangle a deadlock as they headed for a sixth.
So manager Chris Coleman incited to his dais and introduced 17-year-old Ben Woodburn for his debut. Five mins after a Liverpool brazen perceived a round for a initial time outward a box and let fly for a fantastic winner. Only Bale himself was younger when he initial scored for Wales.
Three days after Woodburn showed that was no fluke, entrance off a dais to set adult Hal Robson-Kanu’s opener as Wales left it late opposite Moldova.
Italy runs ends
On 6 Sep 2006, in UEFA EURO 2008 qualifying, Italy mislaid 3-1 in Saint-Denis to a France side they had beaten in a World Cup final a integrate of months earlier. The Azzurri surfaced a group, though, and did not remove another vital qualifier until Saturday when, adult opposite Spain, they were beaten 3-0 in Madrid.
So finished an unbeaten run that had lasted scarcely 11 years and spanned 56 qualifiers in all. However, Spain’s possess considerable strain remains: Tuesday’s win in Liechtenstein means they have not mislaid in 61 World Cup qualifiers, dating behind to a 1-0 better in Denmark in Nov 1993.
FOUR INTO ONE
Eight of a 10 matchdays have been played yet 3 groups (A, F and I) still have 4 sides means to bind a one involuntary subordinate slot. Belgium can be relieved they have got a pursuit done.
What do we consider of a choices? What stood out for you? Let us know regulating #WCQ on @EuroQualifiers.