- Cristiano Ronaldo kept Portugal’s clean sheet in the European Championship qualifiers and fired his colors in the 200th international match in a 1-0 victory over Iceland.
- Austria remains unbeaten against Sweden in the current campaign (2-0) and is still the leader in Group F ahead of Belgium (3-0 in Estonia).
Group J: Ronaldo scores in anniversary game
For a long time, Portugal struggled against combative Icelanders, especially from the game. Cristiano Ronaldo appeared to be heading towards a clean sheet in his 200th cap for Portugal. But in the 89th minute the 38-year-old was there again against the Icelanders, who were only ten after a yellow-red card against Willum Willumsson: he pushed the ball over from close range after a header from Goncalo Inacio the line. The goal also withstood VAR scrutiny. Record player Ronaldo has 123 international goals – and Portugal has 12 points from 4 games and a goal difference of 14:0 in the European Championship qualifiers.
- Bosnia-Herzegovina 0-2 Luxembourg
Two devastating defensive mistakes by Bosnia-Herzegovina allowed Luxembourg a surprising 2-0 away win in Zenica. Gladbach’s young talent Yvandro Borges Sanches in the 4th minute and Daniel Sinani in the 74th minute profited from it. When the score was 0:1, the hosts awarded the equalizer from the penalty spot. Even in the 10-minute stoppage time, the Bosnians around Champions League finalist Edin Dzeko were no longer able to react. Servette’s Miroslav Stevanovic played for the East Europeans until the 72nd minute.
Group F: Austria thanks to double Baumgartner
- Austria – Sweden 2-0
Up until the 81st minute, Robin Olsen parried pretty much everything that came his way in the Swedish goal. And that was a lot: Austria were clearly the better team at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna after a strong opening phase for the guests, but failed again and again at the Scandinavian goalkeeper. Only Christoph Baumgartner broke the spell 10 minutes before the end. After a long-range shot by Florian Grillitsch, Olsen let it bounce off, Baumgartner was right and scored to make it 1-0. In the 89th minute, the Hoffenheim legionnaire made everything clear with his second goal. The Austrians around coach Ralf Rangnick are still the undefeated leaders of the group ahead of the actual favorites Belgium.
Romelu Lukaku made the difference for Belgium against Estonia coached by Thomas Häberli. The striker scored the goals to make it 1-0 and 2-0 and remained the only goalscorer for the “Red Devils” in the European Championship qualifiers until shortly before the end (6 goals in 3 games). Finally, Johan Bakayoko, who made it 3-0, made it onto the top scorers list. Matz Sels, who instead of because of a The spat for the captain’s armband, Thibaut Courtois, who left the Belgian goal, remained undefeated.
Group A: Haaland twice successful against Mall
In his second international match for Cyprus, Joël Mall lost again. The former Aarau and GC goalie had to be defeated twice by Erling Haaland in Oslo. The superstar first scored from the penalty point to make it 2-0 (56th) and then doubled four minutes later on a pass from Martin Ödegaard to make it 3-0. For Haaland it was the 23rd and 24th in the 25th international match. Norway won in the 3rd game of the European Championship qualifier for the first time.