The Netherlands and Italy needed late equalizers to earn draws in Euro 2016 qualifying on Saturday, while Gareth Bale inspired Wales to a fine win in Israel that left them top of their group.
The Netherlands were heading to a first competitive defeat on home soil since October 2000 after Burak Yilmaz put Turkey ahead in Amsterdam, but a 92nd-minute shot by captain Wesley Sneijder deflected into the net off Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to spare Oranje blushes and secure a 1-1 draw.
A defeat might have made Netherlands coach Guus Hiddink’s position untenable and even the draw leaves last year’s World Cup semi-finalists in third place in Group A, five points behind second-placed Iceland and two points ahead of Turkey.
Photo: EPA
“It wasn’t a bad match, but not our best either,” Hiddink said. “A defeat would have been catastrophic, but the [equalizing] goal keeps us in the running.”
Only the top two in each group qualify automatically for next year’s finals in France, along with the best third-placed finisher.
The Czech Republic lead the section, although they required a last-minute goal by substitute Vaclav Pilar just to earn a 1-1 draw with Latvia in Prague after Aleksejs Visnakovs had given the away side the lead.
They are a point ahead of Iceland, who won 3-0 in Kazakhstan with Birkir Bjarnason scoring twice after veteran forward Eidur Gudjohnsen had put them ahead in Astana.
Antonio Conte’s Italy are in a rather more comfortable position than the Netherlands and remain unbeaten in Group H after coming back to draw 2-2 with Bulgaria in Sofia.
Yordan Minev’s early own-goal gave the Azzurri the lead, but Ivelin Popov and Ilian Micanski both scored for Bulgaria to turn the Group H qualifier on its head.
The hosts looked to be heading for a win in Ivaylo Petev’s first game as coach, but Brazilian-born debutant Eder, of UC Sampdoria, came off the bench to save a point for Italy with a fine strike with six minutes left.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Eder told Rai Sport.
“Conte had faith in me and I’ve scored a goal wearing an important jersey. I hope I’ll go on to be given other chances,” he said.
Nevertheless, it is Croatia who top the group by two points from the Euro 2012 runners-up after romping to a 5-1 victory at home to a Norway side featuring 16-year-old Real Madrid prospect Martin Odegaard.
Marcelo Brozovic gave Croatia the lead with a curling strike on the half hour, before Ivan Perisic, Ivica Olic, Gordon Schildenfeld and Danijel Pranjic added further goals in the second half.
The hosts were comfortable, despite having Vedran Corluka sent off in the second half, with Norway missing a penalty through Tarik Elyounoussi, before Alexander Tettey pulled one back.
Elsewhere in Group H, Azerbaijan moved off the bottom by defeating Malta 2-0 in Baku in former Croatia star Robert Prosinecki’s first game as coach.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid winger Bale scored a second-half brace as Wales cruised to a 3-0 win in Israel that put them top of Group B.
Israel went into the game in Haifa in first place having won their opening three qualifiers, but Bale set up Aaron Ramsey to give the visitors the lead late in the first half.
Bale doubled the advantage shortly after the restart from an exquisite free-kick, before forcing the sending-off of Israel defender Eytan Tibi and then making it 3-0 on 77 minutes.
Chris Coleman’s side have won three and drawn two of their five matches in Group B and lead the way with 11 points, two ahead of Israel.
“To come out on top is amazing. The first half was very hard. We did a lot of running, closed them down well and luckily got the goal which gave us a lot of confidence,” Bale told Sky Sports. “We came out in the second half buzzing and showed what a good team we are.”
Belgium can go level on points with Wales if they win their game in hand in Israel tomorrow, after the Red Devils eased to a 5-0 victory over Cyprus in Brussels.
Manchester United’s Marouane Fellaini scored twice, with Christian Benteke, Eden Hazard and Michy Batshuayi also on target.
Bosnia and Herzegovina claimed a much-needed victory in their first match under Mehmed Bazdarevic as a hat-trick by Manchester City’s Edin Dzeko secured a 3-0 success in Andorra.
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