Morata and Haaland scorers, Scotland and Croatia disappoint… the tops and the flops

2023-10-12 23:54:14

Haaland and Morata, scorers Thursday evening. REUTERS / YIANNIS KOURTOGLOU / AFP / JORGE GUERRERO

Tops/Flops : As part of the Euro 2024 qualifiers, seven matches were scheduled this Thursday evening. A look back at the good and less good performances of the evening.

Tops

Haaland finds the net again

Mute since mid-September and a goal against Nottingham Forest, an unusual goalless period for him, the cyborg found the net again Thursday evening. Opposed to Cyprus, the Norwegians won 4-0 in a match that they had to win to continue to believe in qualification. And they were able to count on the Manchester City striker. His first goal from a corner, in the 65th minute, was a superb sequence of control and powerful volleys. Seven minutes later, he received a cross to put a header into the back of the net. Next meeting, October 15 against Spain.

Captain Morata leads the way

Holder and captain at kick-off against Scotland, first in their group, the captain of Atletico Madrid was decisive this evening. After having some waste in his game in the first half, he turned into a savior in the 73rd minute. While his team could not find the solution against a well-organized low block, he benefited from an excellent cross from Navas, who came into play, to place a perfect diving header. His team finally won 2-0, and came within three points of their evening opponent.

Yilmaz, retirement will wait

Burak Yilmaz is a versatile man. Interim coach of Besiktas during the week, only scorer of the match this evening. In a high-stakes Croatia-Turkey, with first place in the group at stake, the former Lille player took advantage of Livakovic’s missed exit to place a 25-meter lob and open the scoring in the 30th minute of play. At 38 years, the second top scorer in the history of his selection continues to crash.

Flops

In Seville, Scots without ideas

We certainly weren’t expecting tiki-taka from the Scots this evening. But perhaps we didn’t foresee this absence of any desire to play the game either. The Scots did not park the bus in front of their defense this evening: they built a car park. First in their group with five points ahead of their evening opponents, the teammates of Mancunian McTominay only managed to exist from set pieces. If they want to stay on target for qualification, they will have to offer something else in November against Norway and Georgia. Next match, a friendly against the Blues of Deschamps next Tuesday.

At home, Croatia disappointing

Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic, Gvardiol… the names started by Dalic against Turkey on Thursday nevertheless exuded football. But in what looked like a final for first place, the mayonnaise did not take. The bill could even have been higher if Livakovic, admittedly at fault for the only goal of the match, had not produced several high-class saves. Harmless in the first half, we had to wait for the changes to see the recent semi-finalists of the World Cup show themselves a little more enterprising. Without success.