{"id":14977,"date":"2023-10-17T06:15:07","date_gmt":"2023-10-17T06:15:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/spain-scotland-and-turkey-lock-up-euro-2024-spots-the-express-tribune\/"},"modified":"2023-10-17T06:15:07","modified_gmt":"2023-10-17T06:15:07","slug":"spain-scotland-and-turkey-lock-up-euro-2024-spots-the-express-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/spain-scotland-and-turkey-lock-up-euro-2024-spots-the-express-tribune\/","title":{"rendered":"Spain, Scotland and Turkey lock up Euro 2024 spots | The Express Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nPARIS:
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Spain clinched their place at Euro 2024<\/a> on Sunday after a 1-0 win away to Norway, also sending Scotland through from Group A as Turkey joined the growing ranks of qualifiers.<\/p>\n

Barcelona midfielder Gavi scored the only goal early in the second half in Oslo, bouncing a shot into the corner to help Spain qualify for next year’s finals in Germany with two games to spare.<\/p>\n

“We are very happy because the team has grown a lot and has a great future,” said Spain<\/a> coach Luis de la Fuente. “We have worked to get to this moment.”<\/p>\n

They moved top of Group A on goal difference, but the result ensured Scotland punched their ticket to the tournament as well, with Norway five points adrift going into their last match next month.<\/p>\n

“When we qualified via the play-offs last time, we set ourselves a target of doing it automatically next time – so that’s the first mission accomplished,” said Scotland captain Andy Robertson.<\/p>\n

Norway have not qualified for a major competition since Euro 2000, but a team featuring Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard still has hope of advancing to the play-offs.<\/p>\n

Georgia thrashed Cyprus 4-0 in the other game in that group.<\/p>\n

Turkey capped off a momentous week in which they were announced as co-hosts of Euro 2032 with Italy, by turning on the style in the closing minutes to beat Latvia 4-0 and book their place at the finals.<\/p>\n

Yunus Akgun broke the deadlock just before the hour and former Everton forward Cenk Tosun grabbed two late goals either side of a Kerem Akturkoglu strike to complete the victory for the Group D leaders.<\/p>\n

“I am very happy that we confirmed (qualification) tonight with this win,” Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella told UEFA.com.<\/p>\n

“I am perhaps the happiest coach in the world right now. That’s why I’ll enjoy it first, and then we’ll continue our preparations immediately.”<\/p>\n

Turkey sit six points clear of Wales, who leapfrogged Croatia into second as Harry Wilson got both goals in a 2-1 victory over last year’s World Cup semi-finalists in Cardiff.<\/p>\n

Wilson outran the Croatia defence to loft in the opening goal shortly after half-time and then glanced in a Dan James cross for the second.<\/p>\n

Mario Pasalic reduced the deficit but Wales now have control of their own destiny heading into the concluding rounds of qualifying games in November.<\/p>\n

Croatia find themselves at risk of missing a major tournament for the first time since the 2010 World Cup after back-to-back defeats.<\/p>\n

Switzerland needed two late goals at home to Belarus to rescue a 3-3 draw but surrendered first place in Group I to Romania.<\/p>\n

Xherdan Shaqiri curled the Swiss ahead in St Gallen before Belarus, beaten 5-0 by the same opponents in March, levelled through Max Ebong.<\/p>\n

Denis Polyakov nodded Belarus in front at a corner and the visitors looked on course for a shock win when Dmitri Antilevski struck a third in the 84th minute.<\/p>\n

Manuel Akanji tapped in from a Shaqiri free-kick to spark the last-ditch comeback for the hosts as substitute Zeki Amdouni saved Switzerland’s blushes, scrambling in a 90th-minute equaliser.<\/p>\n

Romania eased to a 4-0 victory over Andorra to move a point clear, but the Swiss have a game in hand after Thursday’s trip to Tel Aviv was postponed due to the war between Israel and Hamas.<\/p>\n

Sunday’s match between Kosovo and Israel was also called off because of the conflict.<\/p>\n

In Plzen, Tomas Soucek’s 76th-minute penalty earned the Czech Republic a narrow 1-0 win over the Faroe Islands, bumping his team up to second in Group E behind Albania.<\/p>\n

Poland struggled in the absence of injured striker Robert Lewandowski and had to come from behind to salvage a 1-1 draw against Moldova in Warsaw.<\/p>\n

The Poles are third in the section but have played a game more than the top two. They host the Czechs in a must-win game on November 17.<\/p>\n

Seven of the 24 slots have now been filled. Germany qualified automatically as hosts while France, Portugal and Belgium all wrapped up their places on Friday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n