Serbia seal historic Euro 2024 finals place after nervy draw with Bulgaria | Euro 2024 qualifying

Serbia have certified for Euro 2024 – their first Euros finals berth as an impartial nation – after a nervy 2-2 house draw towards Bulgaria of their closing Group G sport on Sunday.

Dragan Stojkovic’s facet knew some extent could be sufficient, even when Montenegro beat already certified Hungary. Montenegro, the third-placed workforce within the group, went forward in Budapest however misplaced 3-1. Serbia, in the meantime, fell behind within the second half earlier than Srdjan Babic made sure of qualification with a late leveller.

It had appeared easy for the hosts when Milos Veljkovic headed house to open the scoring within the sixteenth minute, however followers in Leskovac started to really feel the nerves after Slobodan Rubezic’s first-half strike for Montenegro about 500 miles away.

Bulgaria, backside of the group and in search of their first win, fought again within the second half with Georgi Rusev levelling within the 59th minute with a positive end. Kiril Despodov, who had hit the bar within the first half, surprised the house crowd 10 minutes later as he lifted the ball over Vanja Milinkovic-Savic to place the guests forward.

Fortunately for Serbia, information shortly got here by that Dominik Szoboszlai had scored twice in two minutes to place Hungary in entrance. Babic then headed house from shut vary within the 82nd minute to earn a draw and permit the celebrations to begin.

Dominik Szoboszlai (left) scored twice as Hungary ended their campaign with a 3-1 win.
Dominik Szoboszlai (left) scored twice as Hungary ended their marketing campaign with a 3-1 win. {Photograph}: Tamás Kovács/EPA

Romelu Lukaku scored 4 objectives in 20 first-half minutes as Belgium cruised to a 5-0 victory over 10-man Azerbaijan in Group F in blustery Brussels. Lukaku placed on a powerful show of scientific ending as he took his tally within the pool to 14 in eight video games as Belgium earned high spot. Azerbaijan completed in fourth.

The house facet had been 4-0 up inside 37 minutes as they profited from an early crimson card for Azerbaijan’s Eddy Israfilov who was despatched off for a second reserving after a wild lunge on Lukaku. Leandro Trossard scored a late fifth aim, however Belgium’s effort was spearheaded by their captain Lukaku, who took his tally of worldwide objectives to 83 in 113 appearances earlier than he was substituted at half-time.

Within the different sport in Group F, Sweden ran out 2-0 winners over Estonia. It was the ultimate match within the seven-year reign of the departing Sweden supervisor, Janne Andersson, rounded off in type due to objectives from Viktor Claesson and Emil Forsberg.

Spain’s Robin Le Normand and Ferran Torres scored earlier than an personal aim by Luka Lochoshvili completed off a 3-1 win towards Georgia of their closing Group A match. The hosts sealed high spot with 21 factors after seven wins in eight matches, having misplaced solely to second-placed Scotland, who ended on 17 factors after a 3-3 draw with Norway.

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Spain grabbed the lead within the fourth minute after a free-kick from Torres on the left was headed house by Le Normand for his first worldwide aim. Georgia levelled six minutes later after a fast break and easy end from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia earlier than Spain had been dealt one other blow as their Barcelona midfielder Gavi left the pitch in tears with a knee harm. The house facet restored their lead 10 minutes into the second half with Torres’s header earlier than Lochoshvili put the ball in his personal web within the 72nd minute.

Portugal earned a tenth win from 10 video games to complete off an ideal qualification marketing campaign by way of a 2-0 victory towards Iceland. Bruno Fernandes scored the opener within the first half earlier than the substitute Ricardo Horta doubled the hosts lead on 66 minutes.

The Group J runners-up Slovakia signed off with a 2-1 win in Bosnia and Herzegovina, coming from behind to earn victory with objectives from Robert Bozenik and Lubomir Satka both facet of a crimson card for the house facet’s Renato Gojkovic. Luxembourg received 1-0 in Liechtenstein regardless of being all the way down to 10 males after 5 minutes after Danel Sinani’s crimson card.

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