The Post

Germany book finals spot

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Germany, the Netherland­s, Austria and Croatia qualified for the 2020 European Championsh­ip yesterday.

Germany advanced with a 4-0 win over Belarus , with Toni Kroos scoring twice and steering the side top of Group C.

Second-place Netherland­s also qualified despite a 0-0 draw with Northern Ireland in Belfast. Northern Ireland captain Steven Davis missed a penalty in the first half.

Austria joined already qualified Poland from Group G with a 2-1 win over visiting North Macedonia. Poland won 2-1 for their first win in Israel since 1988.

Croatia booked their place as Group E winners with a 3-1 win at home over Slovakia.

IMPRESSIVE GERMANY

Injury-hit Germany started with an unfamiliar central defensive pair of Borussia Monchengla­dbach’s Matthias Ginter and Freiburg’s Robin Koch, the latter making only his second appearance and his first in a competitiv­e game for Germany.

There was little sign of inexperien­ce against defensivel­y minded Belarus, however, with Joachim Low’s team dominating with chances early on for Timo Werner, Serge Gnabry and Kroos.

Manuel Neuer pulled off a brilliant flying save to deny Igor Stasevich with the visitors’ first chance, just before Matthias Ginter made the breakthrou­gh in the 41st minute.

Leon Goretzka scored four minutes after the break, and Ginter set up Kroos to mark his 95th game for Germany with the third goal in the 55th. Stasevich had a chance to pull one back from the penalty spot after a clumsy challenge from Koch, but Neuer guessed the right way.

Kroos wrapped up the scoring with a fine second goal in the 83rd, turning with a left-right combinatio­n to elude two defenders before shooting with his left boot inside the post.

WALES HAILS BALE

Gareth Bale returned from injury and helped Wales keep their automatic qualificat­ion hopes alive with a 2-0 win at Azerbaijan in Group E.

Kieffer Moore and Harry Wilson scored in the first half to give Wales their first away win in more than a year.

Third in Group E with 11 points, Wales can secure automatic qualificat­ion with a win in its final game on Wednesday over second-place Hungary on 12 points.

BELGIUM PERFECT

Eden Hazard scored twice and younger brother Thorgan Hazard also grabbed a goal as already qualified Belgium beat already qualified Russia 4-1 in St Petersburg.

The Belgians’ ninth win from nine qualifying games ensures that they top Group I and join Italy as one of the six seeded teams in the finals’ draw on November 30.

Scotland beat Cyprus 2-1 in Nicosia to move third in the group, and Kazakhstan won 3-1 at San Marino.

Also, Slovenia beat Latvia 1-0 in Group G.

 ??  ?? Northern Ireland’s Stuart Dallas tries to block a shot from Netherland­s’ Ryan Babel during their Euro 2020 Group C qualifying match in Belfast. The match ended 0-0.
Northern Ireland’s Stuart Dallas tries to block a shot from Netherland­s’ Ryan Babel during their Euro 2020 Group C qualifying match in Belfast. The match ended 0-0.

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