Teams of Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Moldova played their final matches in selection for the European Football Championship, after which none of the teams was able to secure a direct ticket to the tournament in Germany, and the latter completely ended the fight. Sport talks about the progress of the decisive matches for the CIS representatives and explains what will now be required from the Zhovto-Blakit and Kazakhstanis to get to Euro 2024.
Displays before the decisive matches
- Group C. Ukraine — Italy
The team of Sergei Rebrov faced the most difficult opponent — the reigning European champions had the same number of points as Ukraine (13), but were ahead of their closest rivals thanks to a victory in the first match with a score of 2:1.
Thus, Italy would have gone to the Euro if they had not lost in Leverkusen, Germany. Ukraine would have won a direct ticket to Germany only if it won. A draw or defeat — the championship would have to be made through the playoffs of the UEFA Nations League season 2022/23.
- Group E.< strong>Czech Republic — Moldova
There are no reservations with the League of Nations. The Czech Republic doesn't lose at home and goes to the Euro. Moldova doesn't win — it's eliminated.
- Group H.Slovenia — Kazakhstan
To reach the final round, it was enough for the Slovenians not to lose at home.
The champion did not deserve a draw, Ukraine was deprived of victory. The Euro 2020 quarterfinalists, thanks to the strong support of the stands, were in no way inferior to Italy in the first 45 minutes. True, there were few chances: after Georgy Sudakov's volley, Gianluigi Donnarumma perfectly took the position, while Ukrainian goalkeeper Anatoly Trubin saved the goal twice after shots from Nicolo Barella and Davide Frattesi.
The Kazakh team should also be praised for the first half. In Ljubljana, Magomed Adiev's team looked good, and a couple of times were even close to taking the lead… But Jan Vorogovsky let him down: before the break, he decided to protect the ball with his body in his own penalty area and, after a tackle by Petar Stojanovic, fouled his opponent.
Benjamin Sheshko's penalty left no chance for the goalkeeper.
The Slovenians, as they say in such situations, remained in the locker room. Because in the 48th minute, Maxim Samorodov crossed into the goalkeeper’s area, where Ramazan Orazov, unguarded, calmly equalized the score… And, as luck would have it, Kazakhstan conceded again a few minutes before the end of the half! In the 72nd minute, Benjamin Verbich came on as a substitute, and already in the 86th minute he hit the far corner and buried the guests' hopes of direct access to the European Championship.
At the Bay Arena, meanwhile, Ukraine was putting pressure on the Squadra Azzurra. After failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Italians, it would seem, should resolve issues about the winner as soon as possible and not risk a direct ticket to the tournament. But no, Luciano Spalletti’s players had a lackluster second half… But they rebounded. The monstrous mistake of the defense was corrected by GiGi, and after Mikhail Mudrik hit the leg in stoppage time, the Spanish referee Jesus Gil Manzano did not dare to give a well-deserved penalty kick.
For the Moldovans, it all ended very quickly: the Czechs opened the scoring already in the 15th minute through the efforts of defender David Doudera. In the second half, Tomas Hory created intrigue, and the final score was set by Tomas Soucek in the 90th minute.
Match results:
- Ukraine — Italy — 0:0;
- SLOVENIA — Kazakhstan — 2:1;
- CZECH REPUBLIC — Moldova — 3:0.
Who has already entered the final tournament? Germany (host of the tournament), Austria , Albania, England, Belgium, Hungary, Denmark, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, France, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Scotland.
- They will play in play-offs: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Georgia, Israel, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Poland, Ukraine, Finland, Estonia.
Croats and Welsh will decide the issue of direct access to the Euro tomorrow. Based on the results of the matches on Tuesday, one team will definitely qualify for the tournament in Germany, and the other will go to the playoffs.
What matches are scheduled for November 21? On the final gaming day of the qualifying round, seven matches await us:
- Croatia — Armenia;
- Kosovo — Belarus;
- Wales — Turkey;
- Gibraltar — the Netherlands;
- Greece — France;
- Andorra — Israel;
- Romania – Switzerland.
A little about the play-offs In the Euro 2024 play-offs, 12 teams will take part, 11 of which are already known. The twelfth, as mentioned above, will be the Ukrainians or the Welsh. The teams will be divided into three groups (paths A, B, C), in each of which two semi-finals (March 21) and a final (March 26) will be played.
The three winners will go to Germany.
By the way, the composition of path C has already been determined: it will include Georgia and Luxembourg (the first semi-final), as well as Greece and Kazakhstan (the second semi-final). Poles and Estonians will definitely be on route A, and Bosnians and Israelis on route B.
When is the draw?The ceremony will take place on Thursday in Nyon, Switzerland. Starts at 14:00 Moscow time.
* * * We would like to remind you that in February 2022, the International Football Federation (FIFA) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) suspended Russian teams and clubs from participating in international competitions for an indefinite period due to events in Ukraine. In September last year, UEFA expectedly did not allow Valery Karpin's team to the draw for the Euro 2024 qualifying tournament.