The Slovak footballers advanced to the finals of the qualification for the European Championship after a penalty shootout with Ireland. Pavel Hapal’s charges will play against Northern Ireland to take part in the final tournament, which also defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina after penalties.
The Czech national team in the basic group of the Euro, together with England and Croatia, will be joined by the better from the pair Serbia – Scotland. The finals are scheduled for November 12.
An even match in Bratislava could have been decided by the guests from Ireland in overtime, but they hit the post. Slovakia approached its second participation in the European Championships in a separate history thanks to a shootout in which the home team converted four penalties, while the Irish hesitated twice.
Bosnia and Herzegovina as the home favorite led from the 14th minute thanks to Rade Krunič. The guests settled less than a quarter of an hour after the change of sides and after a goalless extension, there were also penalties. They were transformed by the home stars Miral Pjanič and Edin Džeko with Din Hotič, but the Northern Irish prevailed four times and advanced.
Serbia defeated Norway 2: 1 in overtime thanks to Sergei Milinkovich-Savic, who scored the opening goal in the 82nd and promotion in the 103rd minute. On the way to the “Czech” group, the Serbs are in Scotland, which, after a goalless result, eliminated Israel for penalties.
Hungary did not hesitate in Bulgaria and won 3: 1. The Hungarians did not enter the match actively, yet they led after 17 minutes after the Bundesliga stopper of Leipzig’s Bundesliga, Willi Orban. He was followed halfway by Zsolt Klmár and Nemanja Nikolics, the home team was reduced only at the end. Hungary continues to hope that in the final tournament it will present itself in Group F at the Puskás Arena in Budapest.
In the final, Iceland awaits them, with Gylfi Sigurdsson catching up to a 2: 1 result with Romania. The midfielder of the leader of the English league, Everton, scored both home goals in the first half, the third was not recognized by the video referee due to the offside. The guests, for whom the Slavia midfielder Nicolae Stanciu played in 87 minutes, only reduced after a break from the penalty.
The duel for the last place in the final tournament and its premiere participation among the elite will be led by the selections of Georgia, led by the Slovak coach Vladimír Weiss, and Northern Macedonia.
Results of the playoff qualification of the European Football Championship according to the placement in the League of Nations:
Group A:
Iceland – Romania 2: 1 (2: 0)
Goals: 16th and 35th Sigurdsson – 62. Maxim from pen.
Bulgaria – Hungary 1: 3 (0: 1)
Branky: 89. Jomov – 17. Orbán, 47. Kalmár, 75. Nikolics.
Group B:
Slovakia – Ireland 0: 0 after extra time, pen. 4: 2
Haraslín turned the decisive penalty.
Bosnia and Herzegovina – Northern Ireland 1: 1 after extra time (1: 0, 1: 1), pen. 3: 4
Goals: 14. Krunič – 53. McGinn. Boyce turned the decisive penalty.
Group C:
Norway – Serbia 1: 2 after prod. (0: 0, 1: 1)
Goals: 88. Normann – 82nd and 103rd Milinkovic-Savic.
Scotland – Israel 0: 0 after extra time, pen. 5: 3
McLean turned the decisive penalty.
Group D:
Georgia – Belarus 1: 0 (1: 0)
Branka: 7. Okriašvili with pen.
Northern Macedonia – Kosovo 2: 1 (2: 1)
Goals: 16. own Kololli, 33. Velkovski – 29. Hadergjonaj.
– .
