Les Bleus beat Azerbaijan 3-0, everything easy for Germany against Luxembourg. Iceland-Ukraine ends 3-5, doubles for Malinovskyi and Gudmundsson
Night of dreams, of cups (one, but of the World) and of champions. If there is a ticket to the World Cup at stake, the efforts multiply. Like those of Mbappé who unhinges Azerbaijan’s wall after 46 minutes of long efforts: Kylian skips four men, then places it in the corner and makes the French rejoice. In the second half, before going off due to an ankle problem (to be evaluated), he set the stage for Rabiot’s goal: Allegri will also have smiled. It ends 3-0 with the seal of the former Udinese player Thauvin. Group D smells of Serie A: not only the center of the Rossoneri midfielder, but also the “blue” festival in Iceland-Ukraine. It ends with an unusual 3-5, the guests carry out the overtaking operation thanks above all to Malinovksy’s two-handed brace and the goals at the siren from Kaliuzhny and Ocheretko. Iceland are bitter despite the brace from a wild Gudmundsson (who hits the crossbar) and the goal from the other Genoan Ellertsson (who however causes the guest to draw 1-2 with a blunder).
Belgium flop
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Sensational in Belgium: Rudi Garcia’s national team (with De Bruyne also receiving a yellow card) kicked 25 times towards the North Macedonia goal, but it ended 0-0. The Juventus player Openda makes a mess in front of the goal together with Doku and his associates, the Balkans are grateful and remain first with 12. Behind them the Red Devils with 11 and Wales with 10. But in three days there is Wales-Belgium… In the 4pm advance, a comfortable poker of Kazakhstan against Liechtenstein: the striker Kenzhebek is on top, scoring a brace. In Group A, Germany hits the jackpot: they score a goal against Luxembourg (4-0, a brace from Kimmich with the guests with ten men for 70 minutes) and above all they reach the top thanks to the sudden reverse (0-2) of Slovakia in Belfast. At the top of the table the Germans are in command thanks to the goal difference with the tied Northern Ireland and Slovakia, all on 6 points. Switzerland is also smiling: Xhaka’s (disputed) penalty and the first center from 19-year-old Manzambi make it 2-0 in Sweden. The Swiss are first and will see the World Cup, the Scandinavians are last. Kosovo and Slovenia remain in pursuit of the American dream, but they score 0-0 in the direct clash: Muriqi does not win the duel with his colleague Sesko, but at least he remains second.
RESULTS AND MARKERS
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Below are the results of today’s matches.
Kazakhstan-Liechtenstein 4-0. Scorers: 26′ Kenzhebek, 28′ Zaynutdinov, 59′ Kenzhebek, 81′ Kasim.
Belgium-North Macedonia 0-0.
France-Azerbaijan 3-0. Scorers: 47′ pt Mbappé, 69′ Rabiot, 84′ Thauvin.
Germany-Luxembourg 4-0. Scorers: 12′ Raum, 21′ pen. Kimmich, 48′ Gnabry, 50′ Kimmich.
Northern Ireland-Slovakia 2-0. Scorers: 18′ own goal Hrosovsky, 81′ Hume.
Iceland-Ukraine 3-5. Scorers: 14′ Malinovskyi (U), 35′ Ellertsson (I), 45′ Gutsulyak (U), 49′ pt Malinovskyi (U), 59′ Gudmunsson (I), 75′ Gudmunsson (I), 85′ Kaliuzhny (U), 89′ Ocheretko (U).
Sweden-Switzerland 0-2. Scorers: 65′ Xhaka, 94′ Manzambi.
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