Poland and Russia on Sunday secured their places at Euro 2020 with victories over North Macedonia and Cyprus respectively, while Croatia were made to wait to qualify.
Russia eased to a 5-0 thrashing of 10-man Cyprus, with Poland joining them, Belgium and Italy in qualifying this week by seeing off North Macedonia 2-0.
Stanislav Cherchesov’s Russia, who reached the World Cup quarter-finals on home soil last year, only had to avoid defeat in Nicosia to follow Belgium in qualifying from Group I.
Photo: Reuters
Valencia winger Denis Cheryshev fired in a ninth-minute opener for the visitors, before Magomed Ozdoev made it two midway through the first half.
Any thoughts of a Cyprus comeback were ended in just the 28th minute when Kostas Laifis was dismissed for a nasty lunge on Russia fullback Sergei Petrov.
Striker Artem Dzyuba scored his third goal in two games in the 79th minute, before Aleksandr Golovin and Cheryshev’s second completed the rout late on.
Russia will attempt to overtake Belgium, who earlier beat Kazakhstan 2-0, at the summit when they host the world No. 1 side on Nov. 16.
In the other Group I match, Scotland thrashed San Marino 6-0.
Poland went into their game against North Macedonia knowing victory would punch their ticket for the finals, but they were forced to be patient by the visitors before Przemyslaw Frankowski prodded home less than 60 seconds after coming on as a substitute in the 74th minute.
Akardiusz Milik made the points safe.
Poland remain three points clear of Austria, who won 1-0 in Slovenia, at the top of Group G, with North Macedonia and Slovenia five points further adrift.
Croatia were made to wait when Gareth Bale’s strike in first-half stoppage-time proved enough to grab a 1-1 draw for Wales in Cardiff.
Nikola Vlasic fired a low ninth-minute shot in off the post to put Croatia on course for qualification, before Bale’s fine goal secured Wales a point in a bad-tempered affair.
Last year’s World Cup runners-up Croatia will qualify if they avoid defeat against Slovakia in their final match on Nov. 16, while Euro 2016 semi-finalists Wales could join them with two closing wins against Azerbaijan and Hungary, as long as Slovakia do not beat Croatia.
Hungary defeated Azerbaijan 1-0 in the other match in Group E.
“We’ve got to win both games and rely on others, but we’re in it. I wanted to be in it after these games,” Wales manager Ryan Giggs told Sky Sports.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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