Dhe title aspirants Italy, Portugal and England achieved unchallenged successes on Sunday on the way to the European Football Championship in Germany 2024. European champions Italy won 2-0 (2-0) in Malta, Portugal won 6-0 (4-0) in Luxembourg thanks to their superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
Second victory for Portugal
In Malta, the defending champion did his duty and secured the first three points. The goals for the selection of national coach Roberto Mancini scored Mateo Retegui (15th) and Matteo Pessina (27th). Freiburg’s Vincenzo Grifo came on as a substitute in his ninth international appearance.
Thanks to Ronaldo, Portugal is at the top of Group J after the second clear win in the second game. The 38-year-old scored the early lead (9th) and the 4-0 (31st) for the team of new head coach Roberto Martinez. Joao Felix (15th), Bernardo Silva (18th) and Otavio (77th) met. Rafael Leao missed a penalty in the 85th minute, three minutes later he scored from outside the game.
England wins against Ukraine
England’s national football team is still on course. Led by record goalscorer Harry Kane, the “Three Lions” won 2-0 (2-0) against Ukraine in Wembley on Sunday and made a perfect start to the qualification with six points from two games. Just three days ago, team manager Gareth Southgate’s team won 2-1 at European champions Italy.
Kane, who had become England’s record scorer with his 54th goal against the Squadra Azzurra, put the hosts ahead (37′), Arsenal’s exceptional player Bukayo Saka followed up a little later with a nice long-range shot (40′). The Three Lions lead Group C with maximum points, while Ukraine, who have only played one game, are bottom of the table.
Before the game started there was an appeal for peace in Ukraine, which was attacked by Russia more than a year ago. The scoreboard read “Peace” in English and Ukrainian, and both teams gathered for a photo on the field behind a Ukrainian flag with the inscription “Peace”.
For Ukraine, the start of the European Championship qualification was the first international match since the end of September last year and at the same time the 300th in the history of the Ukrainian Football Association since 1992.
The impression is deceptive: In the end, the Kazakhs around Ramazan Orazov were on top, not the Danes with Joakim Mæhle (right).
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Image: dpa
Meanwhile, in Group H, former European champions Denmark were embarrassed. The team of former Bundesliga coach Kasper Hjulmand lost a 2-0 lead against Kazakhstan within 16 minutes on Sunday and lost 2-3 (2-0) in Nur-Sultan.
Rasmus Höjlund (21st and 36th minute) from the Italian first division club Atalanta Bergamo had given the favorites a two-goal lead. Bakhtijar Saynutdinov (73′) from the penalty spot, Aschat Taguibergen (86′) and Abat Aimbetov (89′) turned the game in favor of the hosts in a turbulent final phase.
Winning goal scorer Aimbetow had to leave the field with yellow-red in injury time. The Danes, who have 60 percent of the ball, are only third in Group H after beating Finland 3-1 and losing in Kazakhstan.