Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring his aspect’s fourth objective through the Euro 2024 group J qualifying soccer match between Portugal and Liechtenstein on the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon, Portugal, March 23, 2023
| Photo Credit: AP
It was a record-breaking evening for Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Kane as qualifying for the European Championship in 2024 bought underway.
Already the main scorer in males’s worldwide soccer, the 38-year-old Ronaldo now has extra worldwide appearances than another male participant after racking up No. 197 in Portugal’s 4-0 win over Liechtenstein.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United striker marked the event by changing a penalty and including one other second-half objective to maneuver onto 120 in worldwide matches.
Kane, in the meantime, turned England’s outright main scorer of all time by netting a first-half penalty in a 2-1 win at Italy. It lifted Kane to 54 targets for his nation, yet one more than Wayne Rooney.
Qualifying for Euro 2024, which can happen in Germany, began three months after the World Cup completed.
Belated revenge
Call it belated revenge for England.
The assembly with Italy in Naples was a repeat of the Euro 2020 ultimate gained by the Azzurri at Wembley Stadium. The groups have met since then — twice, in truth, with Italy gaining a win and a draw in Nations League qualifying final yr.
This time, England held on after first-half targets by Declan Rice and Kane, who tucked away a spot kick awarded following a VAR evaluate after it was decided that Italy defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo touched the ball along with his hand whereas trying to stop Kane from reaching a nook.
Argentina-born ahead Mateo Retegui, who has Italian citizenship by his maternal grandmother, pulled a objective again on his debut and England performed with 10 males from the eightieth after left again Luke Shaw collected two yellow playing cards in the area of 54 seconds.
North Macedonia beat Malta 2-1 in the opposite match in Group C, which additionally incorporates Ukraine.
Easy for Portugal
Roberto Martinez loved a snug begin to his tenure as Portugal coach after handing Ronaldo a begin in opposition to Liechtenstein.
The striker was neglected of Portugal’s final matches on the World Cup however was chosen up entrance alongside Joao Felix — and repaid the religion proven in him by Martinez, who left his function as Belgium after the event in Qatar.
Joao Cancelo and Bernardo Silva scored earlier than Ronaldo’s double in Lisbon.
Also in Group J, Bosnia-Herzegovina beat Iceland 3-0, whereas Slovakia and Luxembourg drew 0-0.
Poignant at Parken
There was a way of poignancy when Denmark and Finland met for their opening Group H qualifier at Parken Stadium.
The final time the groups met was at Euro 2020 and it was the sport — and similar venue — when Denmark playmaker Christian Eriksen collapsed with cardiac arrest.
Nearly two years later, Denmark gained 3-1 due to a hat trick from striker Rasmus Hojlund in his first begin for his nation.
Slovenia beat Kazakhstan 2-1 and Northern Ireland defeated San Marino 2-0.
Russia pleasant
For the primary time because the nation’s invasion of Ukraine, Russia performed a soccer match in opposition to a nation from exterior the borders of the previous Soviet Union.
A 1-1 draw with Iran in Tehran was performed in entrance of 78,000 spectators and comes after months of Russia in search of nearer ties with the Asian Football Confederation. Russia is banned by UEFA from competing in qualifying for Euro 2024.
Both targets got here from the penalty spot. Iran striker Mehdi Taremi canceled out the opener by Anton Miranchuk, a type of chosen in a wholly Russia-based squad.
Russia has beforehand performed Kyrgyzstan, profitable 2-1, together with 0-0s in opposition to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
