At the start of the European Championship qualification for the 2024 finals in Germany, Turkey, Spain and Switzerland celebrated victories.
Group A
No Haaland, no goals – that was the record for Norway at the qualifying start in Spain. Without their injured super striker, Norway had no chance and suffered a 0:3 (0:2) defeat in Malaga. Leipzig’s Dani Olmo gave Spain the lead (13′). Joselu only made the game clear in the final phase with a brace (84th, 85th) on national coach Luis de la Fuente’s debut.
Scotland is against with a 3:0 (1:0). Cyprus started in the European Championship qualification. John McGinn (21st) put the hosts ahead in Glasgow. But then Scotland struggled. Only in the closing stages did Scott McTominay from Manchester United make everything clear with a brace (87′, 90’+3′). Cyprus’s Nicholas Ioannou saw the yellow-red card shortly before the final whistle (90+5).
Group D
Nathan Broadhead gave the mood killer at 1: 1 (1: 0). Croatia against Wales. Bundesliga professional Andrej Kramaric had given the favorites the lead (28th). But with the very first shot on goal of the game, debutants Broadhead Wales were able to celebrate a point after a throw-in (90+3).
National coach Stefan Kuntz made a successful start with the Turkey there. On Saturday (March 24th, 2023) the Kuntz team landed a narrow 2:1 (1:1) win in Yerevan Armenia.
However, the guests had to run after a deficit. In the tenth minute, Ozan Kabak from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim scored an own goal. After Orkun Kökcü equalized in the first half (35′), Kerem Aktürkoglu (64′) scored after a counterattack to make it 2-1.
Group I
A hat rick by Renato Steffen in the first half was dismissed Switzerland the way to the opening victory in Belarus. Between the 4th and 29th minute, the ex-Wolfsburg player single-handedly took the lead 3-0 at break. After the break, Granit Xhaka (62′) and Zeki Amdouni (65′) added to the 5-0 victory for the Swiss.
The game took place in front of empty stands at the Karadjordje Stadium in Novi Sad, Serbia. Belarus is allowed to take part in competitions of the European Football Union UEFA, but has to host the home games outside the country and without spectators as a result of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.
Before the Swiss victory, in the same group, the Kosovo and Israel separated with 1:1. Also fetched Romania a 2-0 win in Andorra.
