France & England qualify for Euro 2020 along side Turkey Ronaldo hat-trick fires Portugal to brink of Euro 2020 qualification

Harry Kane fired England into the Euros in style with a hat-trick that helped 2018 World Cup semi-finalists dismantle poor Montenegro 7-0 at Wembley

PARIS: The Euro 2020 line-up began to take shape on Thursday after big-hitters France and England qualified for next year’s finals alongside Turkey and the Czech Republic.

World champions France reached the tournament without having to kick a ball thanks to Turkey sealing their own qualification after a goalless draw with Iceland in the day’s early match.

Chelsea outcast Olivier Giroud then moved to within two international goals of France great Michel Platini with a late penalty that ensured a comeback win over a Moldova side ranked 175th in the world.

The scrappy victory at a chilly Stade de France put Didier Deschamps’ side two points ahead of Turkey at the top of Group H ahead of their final match at Albania on Sunday.

The celebratory mood was initially dampened when Vadim Rata punished abject defending to give Moldova a shock ninth-minute lead.

However Raphael Varane levelled for the hosts 10 minutes before break despite furious protests from the Moldovan

players and their coach, who were convinced Giroud had fouled goalkeeper Alexei Koselev in the build-up.

Giroud then slotted home his 39th France goal from the spot in a confident manner that defied the fact he has only played 20 minutes for Chelsea since last month’s international break.

“I could and should have scored before the penalty. We quite simply didn’t get off to the start we should have done,” Giroud told French television.

Harry Kane fired England into the Euros in style with a hat-trick that helped the 2018 World Cup semi-finalists dismantle poor Montenegro 7-0 at Wembley.

Kane struck his treble in the first half as Gareth Southgate’s side racked up five before the break in England’s 1000th match, making light of the absence of Raheem Sterling, who was dropped by Southgate earlier in the week after an altercation with teammate Joe Gomez.

“We wanted to put on a show in our 1,000th game and with five goals in the first half I think we did that,” said Kane.

England displayed the firepower that will make them one of the favourites for next year’s European Championship as they sealed top spot in Group A.

Thursday’s demolition took them to 33 goals in seven qualifying matches following Tammy Abraham’s first international goal, further strikes from Alex Oxlade-chamberlain and Marcus Rashford and an own goal from Aleksandar Sofranac.

Kane meanwhile moved sixth in the all-time list of England goalscorers by taking his tally for the qualifying campaign to 11.

The Czech Republic followed England into the tournament after coming from behind to beat third-placed Kosovo 2-1.

They join former World Cup winners Spain and Italy, who kick off the multi-host tournament at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico on June 12, dark horses Belgium, Poland, Russia and Ukraine.

FARO (Portugal): Cristiano Ronaldo scored his ninth international hat-trick as Portugal moved to the brink of qualifying for Euro 2020 with a 6-0 thrashing of Lithuania in Faro on Thursday.

The reigning European champions were made to wait for qualification however as Serbia battled to a 3-2 win over Luxembourg in the other game in Group B.

Ronaldo had been substituted in his last two club games by Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri, with the Italian claiming the striker had been struggling with a knee injury.

He reportedly left the stadium before the final whistle after being taken off by Sarri during Juve’s 1-0 Serie A win over AC Milan at the weekend.

“I knew he (Ronaldo) was able to play,” Portugal coach Fernando Santos told Portuguese TV channel RTP. “His match put an end to the doubts about his physical condition, for those who had doubts. I personally had none, and I said that.”

Portugal sit second in the standings behind Ukraine, who have already qualified, and one point clear of Serbia, but can secure their spot at next year’s finals with victory in Luxembourg on Sunday. Ronaldo has now scored 98 international goals and will be hoping to become the second-ever player to reach 100 this weekend.

Iranian great Ali Daei holds the all-time record with 109

Portugal sit 2nd in the standings behind Ukraine, who have already qualified, and one point clear of Serbia, but can secure their spot at next year’s finals with victory in Luxembourg on Sunday

international strikes.

Ronaldo got Portugal underway with a seventh-minute penalty after being brought down in the area himself, before adding a fantastic second midway through the first half with a curling effort into the top corner.

Benfica midfielder Pizzi drilled in a fine third less than seven minutes into the second period. Goals from Goncalo Paciencia and Bernardo Silva made it five just after the hour mark, and Ronaldo was allowed the freedom of the Lithuanian area to complete the 55th treble of his career.

The 34-year-old Juventus forward has scored 13 goals in his last seven Portugal appearances.

He missed a golden chance to move within one of his century not long after scoring his third when totally unmarked 10 yards from goal he blazed an effort over the crossbar. Ronaldo’s other hat-tricks include 44 for Real Madrid, one for Juventus and one for Manchester United.