Serbia’s national football team grabbed the European Championship ticket for the first time in a long-distance duel with neighbors Montenegro. Coach Dragan Stojkovic’s team managed a 2-2 (1-0) win against Bulgaria on the last matchday of qualification to secure second place in Group G behind Hungary and participation in the EURO in Germany.
“It’s a big day for Serbian football. Serbia is finally at the European Championships,” said Stojkovic, who took part in the 1984 and 2000 finals as a player with Yugoslavia. “I congratulate my boys who fought and believed until the end.”
The pursuers Montenegro lost 1:3 (1:0) in Hungary and had to settle for third place. Bremen’s Milos Veljkovic (16th) gave the Serbs the lead, but Georgi Rusew (59th) and Kiril Despodow (69th) turned the game in favor of the Bulgarians. Srdan Babic (82nd) managed to equalize.
Montenegro also led with a goal from Slobodan Rubezic (36th), before ex-Leipzig player Dominik Szoboszlai with a brace (66th/68th) and Adam Nagy (90th + 3) led the already qualified Hungarians to victory. Serbia and Montenegro last took part in a European Championship in 2000, when they were still together as Yugoslavia.
Portugal achieved perfect qualification
Former European champions Portugal finished Group J with a maximum of 30 points in ten games. In the 2-0 (1-0) win against Iceland, Bruno Fernandes (37th) and Ricardo Horta (66th) scored for the team around veteran Cristiano Ronaldo. Slovakia had also qualified as second in the table before the 2-1 (0-0) draw in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Thanks to a four-pack from record goalscorer Romelu Lukaku, coach Domenico Tedesco secured first place with Belgium in Group F. In the 5-0 (4-0) against Azerbaijan, the 30-year-old scored four goals in 20 minutes in his 113th international match and screwed his Yield to 83 hits.
Spain secures group victory
Tedesco’s team once again overtook the Austrian national team with coach Ralf Rangnick, who had no games on the last match day. Lukaku, who made his national team debut in 2010 as a 16-year-old, scored twice with his head and twice with his foot (17th/26th/30th/37th). Leandro Trossard scored the fifth goal (90th). The Swedes, who had already failed, won 2-0 (1-0) against Estonia and then said goodbye to coach Janne Andersson.
Spain won 3-1 (1-1) against Georgia in Group A and thus maintained their lead in the table ahead of the Scots, who had also previously qualified, and who played 3-3 (2-2) against Norway. Barca young star Gavi retired with a knee injury and left the field in tears.