A draw for France, a victory for Portugal … The first qualifying results for the 2022 World Cup.
FRANCE 1-1 UKRAINE
The France team disappointed for its debut in the qualifications for the World Cup-2022 by conceding the draw 1 to 1 against Ukraine, Wednesday evening at the Stade de France. Antoine Griezmann opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a superb shot curled into the skylight – his 34th goal for the French team – but the Ukrainians equalized with a goal against his side of Presnel Kimpembe (57th). The Blues will continue their qualifying campaign on March 28 in Kazakhstan and March 31 in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
TURKEY 4-2 NETHERLANDS
Turkey knocked out the Netherlands 4-2 on Wednesday in the opening match of the European qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, thanks to a hat-trick from captain Burak Yilmaz and the lack of realism of his domineering opponent.
This heavy defeat of the Netherlands awakens the specter of non-qualification for the World Cup in 2018, which led this great football nation to launch a project to rebuild its team and avoid a new trauma.
PORTUGAL 1-0 AZERBAIDJAN
Portugal provided the bare minimum against Azerbaijan (1-0) for their debut in the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup on Wednesday in Turin (Italy) where this match had been relocated for health reasons.
Cristiano Ronaldo, on a lawn he knows by heart, failed to score his 103rd goal in the selection. And it took a goal against Azerbaijani defender Maksim Medvedev (36th) to offer the victory to the Portuguese, arch-dominators in the first period but jostled in the second half.
BELGIUM 3-1 WALES
Good start for Belgium: the Red Devils beat the Welsh 3-1 in a qualifying match for the 2022 World Cup on Wednesday evening in the small stadium in Leuven.
The Dragons were however the first to set fire to a meeting which often lacked rhythm. De Bruyne, Thorgan Hazard and Lukaku (on penalty) built the victory of the world number 1.
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