Croatia clinched the final automatic qualifying spot for Euro 2024 on Tuesday as Wales were forced to settle for a play-off place, while France had to come from behind to draw in Greece
Croatia settled the final automatic qualifying spot for Euro 2024 on Tuesday as Wales were forced to settle for a play-off place, while France had to come from before to draw in Greece. Semi-finalists at the World Cup 12 months agone, Croatia knew they would qualify for coming time’s European Championship in Germany with a palm against Armenia in Zagreb, but any slip- up would have allowed Wales to leapfrog them into alternate place in Group D. In the end it was a title two twinkles before half- time by Ante Budimir that gave Croatia a 1- 0 palm to take them through, while Wales could only draw 1- 1 with formerly- good Turkey in Cardiff.
Croatia’s prospects of automatic qualification had appeared in mistrustfulness when they lost to both Turkey and Wales in October, but they come the 21st and final automatic qualifier for the 24- platoon event coming June and July.
“We earn to be at the Euro and we’ve a lot of time now to prepare for what awaits us there,” expert captain Luka Modric told UEFA.com.
Wales will now go into the play- offs coming March to determined whether they qualify for a third successive Euro.
A draw this Thursday will decide whether they face Finland, Ukraine or Iceland in the play- off semi-finals.
A palm in that would set up a final decider against Poland or Estonia, with three qualifying spots in aggregate on offer in the play- offs.
They beat Ukraine in a play- off to qualify for last time’s World Cup.
Rob Page’s side demanded to beat Turkey on Tuesday to stand a chance of catching Croatia, and they went ahead through an early Neco Williams thing. still, Yusuf Yazici’s 70th- nanosecond penalty earned Turkey a draw.
“That position of performance is what we need todo. However,” claimed Page, If we do that when we come back together in March we’ll be ok.
French denied late winner France missed out on finishing with a perfect record in Group B as they drew 2- 2 with Greece in Athens.
Randal Kolo Muani’s nature put France, with Kylian Mbappe rested from the starting line- up, in frontal late in the first half.
Captain Tasos Bakasetas equalised for Greece soon after the break and Fotis Ioannidis also put them in front.
Still, Youssouf Fofana’s important strike pulled France position again, and they appeared to be denied a certain winner at the death when Kingsley Coman’s veered cutback sounded to cross the thing- line before spinning back onto the post and out.
But it was missed by the on- field officers, who had no thing- line technology to help them.
“This is the transnational position. There was no qualification at stake obviously but there could have been,” French trainer Didier Deschamps complained to broadcaster TF1.
“To have a ground with no thing- line technology– because there isn’t, because it’s precious– obviously it’s incoherent, but the officers have to put up with it,” he said, adding that the VAR functionary couldn’t give a thing if he was” only 99 percent sure” the ball had gone by.
Greece, the 2004 Euro winners, don’t qualify automatically but can still come through the play- offs.
The Netherlands had formerly qualified from the same group before their 6- 0 palm over minnows Gibraltar in Faro, Portugal.
Calvin Stengs of Feyenoord scored a chapeau- trick, with Mats Wieffer, Teun Koopmeiners and Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo also netting.
Romania and Switzerland had formerly qualified from Group I prior to their clash in Bucharest, which the hosts won 1- 0 thanks to Denis Alibec’s alternate- half thing.
Israel, who’ll be in the play- offs, won 2- 0 in Andorra in the same group, while Belarus beat Kosovo 1- 0.
The final draw for Euro 2024 will take place in Hamburg on December 2. Know More Latest Football News…
