Euro 2016 Qualifiers recap: goals and highlights Friday, November 15, 2014
Switzerland 4-0 Lithuania at AFG Arena, St. Gallen
The action didn’t truly begin to unfold until the second half of the match, when Lithuania’s resolve gave way to the Swiss offense. A corner attempt at 66’ saw the keeper fail in clearing the incoming ball with fists. It dropped to Drmic’s feet that stood directly in front of him, proceeding to tap it in. Schär artfully turned a grounded header inside the six and just passed the keeper for goal two. A cross deflected off of a Lithuanian defender’s face set up an easy lob for a volley finish by Shaqiri at 80’ for goal three. He’d find himself again in scoring territory not long after when outside the six for a heel-tap finish at 90’.
Switzerland J. Drmic 66′, F. Schär 68′, X. Shaqiri 80′, 90′
Belarus 0-3 Spain at Estadio Nuevo Colombino, Huelva
Spain started their dominating stance early on but things really heated up at 18’ following when Isco scored his first international goal with a curling effort into the top corner of the Belarus goal. Not a minute later Busquets charged down the pitch to receive a backward through ball from wide outside the box and drilling it into the low right corner. Three easy connections resulted in an opportunity on the inside for Pedro, who finished decisively with a shot to the far corner.
Spain – Isco 18′, Busquets 19′, Pedro 55′
Estonia 0-0 San Marino Stadio Olimpico di Serravalle, Serravalle
Many were shocked to see San Marino draw and Estonia to pick up their first point on the EU qualifier circuit in 14 years. However, limp-footed efforts from the favourite could hardly paint the picture of this outcome as a surprise. The match was characterised by high and wide attempts on goal and hesitation when pressured by keepers.
Montenegro 1-1 Sweden at Stadion Pod Goricom, Podgorica
PSG forward Ibrahimovic took his team to an early lead with a quick left footed flick from within the box. Several opportunities to double the lead presented themselves in the following minutes of the match, but Sweden failed to capitalise. Montenegro would find a man fouled in the box at minute 80, when Joveti? would bring his team back into the game with a successful effort.
Sweden – Z. Ibrahimovic 9′
Montenegro – S. Joveti? 80′
Moldova 0-1 Lichtenstein at Stadionul Zimbru, Chi?in?u
After a back and forth lasting the majority of play time, Lichtenstein’s Burgmeier took charge with a commanding canon of a free kick outside the box, over the defensive wall and just skimming under the crossbar. While Maldova made a valiant effort to come back from such a tremendous play, their efforts were in vain and the game ended in favour of Lichtenstein.
Lichtenstein – F. Burgmeier 74′
Luxembourg 0-3 Ukraine at Stade Josy Barthel, Lëtzebuerg (Luxembourg)
A tremendous game for Luxembourg’s Yarlomenko, who avalanched against the Ukrainian squad, the national team’s forward caught a fortunate goal in the boggle at 33 minutes in front of the Ukrainian goal. He’d build on that confidence and fire a cross into the far corner at chest-height for number two. Number three came from just outside the arch with a powerful left that Ukraine was just not swift enough to take out of the air.
Luxembourg – A. Yarmolenko 33′, 53′, 56′
FYR Macedonia 0-2 Slovakia at Nacionalna Arena Filip II Makedonski, Skopje
Slovakia took care of Macedonia in fine fashion as kucka was in the perfect position to receive a low and hard through pass right under the nose of Macedonia’s keeper at 25’. Nemec would fire another goal home on a counter attack that left one Macedonian defender on his back for an easy cut against the keeper.
Slovakia – J. Kucka 25′, A. Nemec 38′
England 3-1 Slovenia at Wembley Stadium, London
The NFL exhibition had left many sceptical of the condition of the pitch preceding the England Slovenia game. However that didn’t work against the English National Team. Things only really began to pick up near the 60’ mark when Slovenia’s Henderson was last to put a foot on the ball before an England own goal. Keen to come back from their self-inflicted deficit, England push forward with Rooney placing one in the net not a minute later. Welbeck would have his shot at the glory as well with back to back goals only six minutes apart from one another.
England – W. Rooney 59′, D. Welbeck 66′, 72′
Slovenia – J. Henderson 58′ (own goal)
Austria 1-0 Russia at Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Wien
Several shots from Austria narrowly missed the Russian goal, as most of the game was played on the Russian end of the pitch. It would ultimately be a simple cross across the box and a low, one-touch to do in the Russian squad.
Austria – R. Okotie 73′
