England gamers are seen throughout a apply session.
| Photo Credit: AFP
The closing rounds of European Championship qualifiers sees defending champion Italy needing a robust end to clinch a spot on the match, whereas Albania and Slovenia can safe stunning group victories.
Romania is one other unlikely workforce controlling its personal Euro 2024 future, though Israel nonetheless has an out of doors likelihood to safe direct development from that group.
Slovenia tops Group H forward of Denmark, however may nonetheless be overtaken by an excellent lower-ranked workforce — Kazakhstan.
Twelve groups will safe development in the following week to the match hosted by Germany. Eight groups already certified final month: France, England, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Austria, Scotland and Turkey.
The Netherlands, Hungary and Serbia are finest positioned to affirm their qualification.
Three extra groups will advance from a 12-team playoffs in March.
Among these in hazard of not qualifying instantly are Croatia, a finalist and semifinalist on the previous two World Cups, and Italy, which failed to attain both of these tournaments.
Italy faces a high-stakes recreation in opposition to Ukraine on Monday, seemingly for second place behind England in Group C.
Ukraine will host Italy in Germany — on the stadium of Bundesliga chief Bayer Leverkusen — as a result of it can’t play worldwide video games at house for safety causes in the course of the navy invasion by Russia. Russia was banned from Euro 2024 qualifying.
Italy is three factors behind Ukraine however with a recreation in hand, and hosts North Macedonia on Friday – a fixture that might revive dangerous reminiscences for the Italians. Italy’s second straight failure to attain the World Cup got here in a house loss to North Macedonia in a playoff semifinal in March 2022.
UPSTARTS
Albania has ridden its robust house kind — three wins and no objectives conceded — to at present high a gaggle that features the Czech Republic and Poland.
Coached by former Brazil, Arsenal and Barcelona left-back Sylvinho, Albania solely wants a draw Friday at Moldova to advance. Albania finishes Monday at house to the Faeroe Islands.
Poland, which fired veteran Portugal coach Fernando Santos after just some months, wants a win at house in opposition to the Czechs on Friday to keep any likelihood of advancing instantly, however captain Robert Lewandowski’s workforce appears headed to the playoffs.
Slovenia has not certified for a Euro because the 2000 version, however leads Euro 2020 semifinalist Denmark on purpose distinction earlier than they meet in Copenhagen on Friday. Even with a loss, Slovenia will want only a level to advance when internet hosting Kazakhstan on Monday.
Either Wales or Croatia will miss out on qualifying from Group D, the place Turkey has already secured one of many high two spots.
Wales hosts Turkey subsequent Tuesday doubtlessly needing a win to advance and ship Croatia to the playoffs. Wales holds the head-to-head tiebreaker after beating Croatia 2-1 final month.
Slovakia will be part of Portugal advancing from Group J by drawing at house to Iceland on Thursday. Third-place Luxembourg must be in the playoffs due to its Nations League outcomes.
ISRAEL’S QUEST
Israel has by no means certified for the Euros since changing into a full UEFA member in 1994. It was already in a good, three-way race with Romania and Switzerland in Group I earlier than the struggle with Hamas led to its two scheduled video games in October being postponed.
A brand new program of 4 video games in 10 days began Sunday with a 1-0 loss at Kosovo, making third-place Israel’s “home” recreation Wednesday in opposition to Switzerland key.
Israel will play that recreation in a small Hungarian village intently tied to the nation’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Group chief Romania visits Saturday.
The closing spherical is Tuesday, when Romania hosts Switzerland and Israel is at Andorra.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
