Portugal leapfrog Switzerland, France qualify

THE DAY REPLAYED - France and Portugal became a final dual of 9 organisation winners in European subordinate to join hosts Russia among a continent’s sides already positive of a berth during a 2018 FIFA World Cupâ„¢. Sweden, Greece and Switzerland all finished as runners-up on Tuesday in their particular pools. 

Group winners with an involuntary place during Russia 2018
France, Portugal, Germany, Serbia, Poland, England, Spain, Belgium, Iceland

Group runners-up competent for a play-offs (to be played over home and divided legs in Nov 2017 to establish 4 additional World Cup places)
Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Croatia, Sweden, Greece, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland

Excluded from a play-offs as a lowest-ranked runner-up
Slovakia

EUROPEAN PLAY-OFFS
These 8⃣ have done it
Draw will take place in Zurich on Tues 17 Oct @ 14:00 CET
Info https://t.co/VhHD8CpVZ5 pic.twitter.com/7BM0cHIhdL

— #WCQ ⚽️ (@FIFAWorldCup) October 10, 2017

Match of a day
Portugal 2-0 Switzerland
It was always going to be an dusk of beating for one of a dual teams. Either a reigning European champions would destroy to secure an involuntary place during a World Cup, or a group that had available 9 uninterrupted victories would remove out. Ultimately, that was to be Switzerland’s fate: notwithstanding earning 27 points in their best-ever subordinate debate they though unsuccessful to concrete an involuntary World Cup spot. Just before a mangle and with a diversion underneath control, Johan Djourou scored an possess idea to palm a lead to Portugal – who indispensable to win during all costs. Switzerland struggled to emanate any definite chances in a second half, while during a other finish Portugal’s Andre Silva finished off a good pierce in a 57th notation to confirm a game.

Elsewhere
Group A
France 2-1 Belarus
Netherlands 2-0 Sweden 
Luxembourg 1-1 Bulgaria
Sweden’s options were transparent going into their compare with a Netherlands: they possibly indispensable to improved France’s outcome opposite Belarus in sequence to finish top, or remove by no some-more than 6 goals to stay in second place. France might have had a harder time than approaching in their 2-1 home triumph, though as Sweden were 2-0 down before half-time in Amsterdam there was never any genuine means for regard for a French. 

Luxembourg looked to be on march for feat for a prolonged time during home to Bulgaria after Olivier Thill’s third-minute goal, though Ivaylo Chochev’s equaliser (68′) ensured any side took a share of a spoils.


Group B
Portugal 2-0 Switzerland
Hungary 1-0 Faroe Islands
Latvia 4-0 Andorra
With Portugal and Switzerland going head-to-head for a tip dual places in Lisbon, a group’s other matches apparently slipped into a background. Latvia’s gentle win during home to Andorra helped put some stretch between a dual sides as they finished in fifth place. Hungary were forced to work prolonged and tough for their 1-0 feat over Faroe Islands, wanting an 81st-minute idea from half-time surrogate Daniel Bode to secure a points.

Group H
Greece 4-0 Gibraltar
Estonia 1-2 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Belgium 4-0 Cyprus
Belgium became a initial European group to validate for subsequent year’s World Cup a few weeks ago and were means to turn off their debate with a home win over Cyprus in that Eden Hazard scored twice. Their final idea transport of 43 equalled a European subordinate record set by Germany on Sunday.

There was even an injection of fad in a competition for second place. While Greece were widely approaching to kick Gibraltar during home and sign a runners-up spot, they indispensable half an hour to make a breakthrough in Piraeus interjection to Vasileios Torosidis’ strike. And it was not until after a hour symbol that a hosts staid a matter with a prop from Konstantinos Mitroglou (61′, 63′). That rendered Izet Hajrovic’s double (48′, 84′) in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s win in Estonia of small consequence.

Player of a day
Arjen Robben (Netherlands) “It’s not probable to get such a large win over Sweden,” pronounced Arjen Robben before to kick-off. The Oranje needed to kick a Scandinavians by a seven-goal domain to waylay second place from their opponents. With a chastisement and another idea before a break, Robben positively played his partial in their endeavours. While he paved a approach for a 2-0 feat over Jan Andersson’s side, it was eventually not enough. After a compare Robben announced his retirement from general football, carrying scored 37 goals in 96 appearances for a Oranje. 

Congrats @selecaoportugal, deserved win. We’ll follow we by a playoffs. #PORSUI ⚽️✊ pic.twitter.com/vWDae9E2yd

— nationalteams_SFVASF (@SFV_ASF) October 10, 2017

Article source: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2017/m=10/news=portugal-leapfrog-switzerland-france-qualify-2913151.html