Belgium misses preliminary decision
©IMAGO
Austria, European champions Spain and Switzerland are within reach of qualifying for the World Cup. After the 4-0 (3-0) win in Tbilisi, the Spanish national team can only theoretically be overtaken by Turkey as leaders of Group E. They secured their mathematical chance with a 2-0 (1-0) against Bulgaria.
Both teams will meet in a direct duel on Tuesday evening (8.45 p.m.) in Seville. However, the guests would have to make up a difference of 14 goals in order to secure a ticket to the tournament in Mexico, Canada and the USA.
For the Georgians, double packer Mikel Oyarzabal (11th minute/hand penalty, 63rd), Martín Zubimendi (22nd) and Ferran Torres (34th) scored the goals for a secure victory. The match winner for the Turks in Bursa was Hakan Çalhanoğlu, who took the lead with a hand penalty in the 18th minute and set up Bulgaria’s Atanas Chernev’s own goal (83rd).
Austria is also almost certain to qualify thanks to a brace from Marko Arnautovic (18th/foul penalty, 55th). Ralf Rangnick’s team won 2-0 (1-0) in Cyprus and could go to the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998 as winners of Group H. A draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the group final on Tuesday in Vienna is enough. The Balkan Republic kept its chance with a 3:1 (0:1) against Romania.
The Swiss can also plan on qualifying directly after a 4:1 (1:1) win against Sweden. Before the final in Group B against Kosovo, the Swiss have three points and eleven goals ahead of the Kosovars, who won 2-0 (1-0) in Slovenia.
For the Swiss, three well-known players from the Bundesliga, Breel Embolo (12th), Granit Xhaka (60th/foul penalty) and Johan Manzambi (90th + 4), were successful, while Dan Ndoye (75th) was responsible for the 3-0. Benjamin Nygren’s equalizer (33′) was the first goal under Sweden’s new coach Graham Potter.
There is a much more exciting final in Group C, where the winner of the duel between Scotland and Denmark wins the direct World Cup ticket. The loser has the detour via the playoffs. The Danes have a better starting position, and after a 2-2 (1-0) draw against Belarus, a draw is enough. Scotland missed out on a better position thanks to a 2-3 (0-1) defeat in Greece, which extended their lead despite being outnumbered by a yellow-red card in the final phase.
In the afternoon, Belgium had already missed early qualification with a 1-1 (0-1) draw in Kazakhstan. After the early shock from Dastan Satpaev (9th), with which the 17-year-old became the youngest goalscorer in his country’s history, coach Rudi Garcia’s team only managed to equalize through Hans Vanaken (48th). Nevertheless, Belgium still has the direct World Cup ticket in its own hands with a draw against the goalless and pointless bottom of the table Liechtenstein.