BRATISLAVA. Belgian football striker Romelu Lukaku scored four goals in Sunday’s match against Azerbaijan to increase his lead as the top scorers in the EURO 2024 qualifiers.
After Belgium’s final match, he had a four-goal advantage over the second-placed Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal with 14 accurate shots, who had a match against Iceland on Sunday night.
Lukaku scored all four goals in the first half to help Belgium to a 5-0 victory and first place in Group F.
Belgium and Austria had a certain procedure
Before the final 10th round, the two teams that will advance directly from the F-group have already been decided. For the Belgians, it was about promotion from the first place, which Austria was on after playing all the matches.
Against Azerbaijan, they confirmed their role as favorites and thanks to Lukaku’s four-goal goal, they rounded their point total to 20. At the same time, they joined the teams that have never lost in the qualifiers.
The third place in the F-group was taken by the Swedes. They said goodbye to qualification with a home victory over Estonia 2:0. Viktor Claesson put them in the lead in the first half, and Emil Forsberg scored a goal in the second.
Serbia last played EURO in 2008
Participation in the EURO was won by the representatives of Serbia on Sunday, who drew 2:2 with Bulgaria in the G-group match. After the last 10th round, they stayed on the second place behind Hungary.
Before Sunday’s matches, the representatives of Montenegro could also think about progressing, but they needed the loss of the Serbs and at the same time they had to beat the home Hungarians, but they lost to them 1:3.
The Serbians had their promotion fate in their hands and their chances increased even more in the 17th minute when Miloš Veljkovič reached the goal after a corner kick.
However, the Bulgarians wanted their first victory in the qualification and in the 59th minute they equalized thanks to Georgi Rusev’s cross shot.
Ten minutes later, the Bulgarians were leading 2-1 after Kiril Despodov escaped a pair of opponents and beat the goalkeeper Milinković-Savič.
The home fans were cheered up in the 77th minute by Srdjan Babič, who scored with his head after a corner kick – 2:2. This result was enough for the home team and they did not have to rely on the help of the Hungarians. The Serbs made it to the EURO for the first time since 2008.
Hungary has never lost
Montenegrin players could have been the first to beat the Hungarians in the EURO 2024 qualifiers, but in the end they failed. From the 36th minute, they led with a goal by Slobodan Rubežič, who took advantage of Stefan Jovetić’s pass.
The promising score lasted until the 67th minute. The Hungarians gradually took the initiative and Dominik Szoboszlai ended the individual breakthrough with a goal – 1:1. The same player exchanged the ball with Martin Ádám shortly afterwards and the home team led – 2:1.
The representatives of Montenegro were unable to reverse the score and conceded a third time in added time. Szoboszlai’s direct kick was deflected by goalkeeper Mijatovič in front of Ádám and he sent the ball into the net – 3:1.
EURO 2024 qualification – November 19:
Group F:
Belgium – Azerbaijan 5:0 (4:0)
Goals: 17., 26., 30. a 37. Lukaku, 90. Trossard
ČK: 24. Israfilov (Azerbaijan) according to the 2nd ŽK
Sweden – Estonia 2:0 (1:0)
Goals: 22. Claesson, 55. Forsberg
Group G:
Hungary – Montenegro 3:1 (0:1)
Goals: 67. a 68. Szoboszlai, 90.+3 Nagy – 36. Rubežič
Serbia – Bulgaria 2:2 (1:0)
Goals: 17. Veljković, 77. Babič – 59. Rusev, 69. Despodov
2023-11-19 20:48:45
#Lukaku #shone #goals #Hungarians #won #group #losing #Serbs #celebrating #promotion #EURO
