France, Greece qualify for Euros the hard way
Source: Agencies |
October 13, 2011, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
FRANCE grabbed a place at Euro 2012 after a late Samir Nasri penalty salvaged a 1-1 draw at home to Bosnia on Tuesday and Greece also did it the hard way by scoring two late goals to win 2-1 in Georgia and book its ticket to the finals.
Denmark qualified with a comfortable 2-1 win over a surprisingly lackluster Portugal which was lucky to scrape into next month's playoffs in what appeared to be the most attractive fixture on an evening filled with drama and suspense.
Russia made sure it would be on the plane to next year's tournament by thrashing Andorra 6-0 while Sweden's 3-2 victory over the Netherlands meant it also qualified as the best of the runners-up in the nine groups.
Germany, a 3-1 winner over Belgium, and Spain, which beat Scotland by the same score, finished with 100 percent records and in doing so cost their opponents a playoff spot.
Bosnia, which has never qualified for a major tournament, finished second behind France in Group D and will play off over two legs for a place at the tournament.
The other playoff teams will be Estonia and Montenegro - two more potential Euro newcomers - along with Croatia, Portugal, Ireland, Czech Republic and Turkey.
France, needing a draw at home to Bosnia to top Group D, showed it still had an appetite for drama as it fell behind to an exquisite curling shot from Bosnia striker Edin Dzeko five minutes before halftime.
Inside the box
That would have condemned France to the playoffs but, with 12 minutes left, Nasri was tripped by Emir Spahic just inside the box and the midfielder clinically scored from the spot.
Greece scored twice in the final 11 minutes to top Group F after David Targamadze had fired host Georgia into a 19th-minute lead.
Substitute Giorgos Fotakis leveled for the 2004 European champion from long range and surprise call-up Angelos Charisteas struck the winner five minutes from time.
The Group H showdown between Denmark and Portugal started with the teams level on points at the top of the group and the visitors only needing a draw to qualify.
Instead, Denmark eased through, Michael Krohn-Dehli putting the hosts ahead after 13 minutes and Nicklas Bendtner adding a second just after the hour. The otherwise ineffective Cristiano Ronaldo pulled one back late on with a trademark dipping free kick.
Denmark qualified with a comfortable 2-1 win over a surprisingly lackluster Portugal which was lucky to scrape into next month's playoffs in what appeared to be the most attractive fixture on an evening filled with drama and suspense.
Russia made sure it would be on the plane to next year's tournament by thrashing Andorra 6-0 while Sweden's 3-2 victory over the Netherlands meant it also qualified as the best of the runners-up in the nine groups.
Germany, a 3-1 winner over Belgium, and Spain, which beat Scotland by the same score, finished with 100 percent records and in doing so cost their opponents a playoff spot.
Bosnia, which has never qualified for a major tournament, finished second behind France in Group D and will play off over two legs for a place at the tournament.
The other playoff teams will be Estonia and Montenegro - two more potential Euro newcomers - along with Croatia, Portugal, Ireland, Czech Republic and Turkey.
France, needing a draw at home to Bosnia to top Group D, showed it still had an appetite for drama as it fell behind to an exquisite curling shot from Bosnia striker Edin Dzeko five minutes before halftime.
Inside the box
That would have condemned France to the playoffs but, with 12 minutes left, Nasri was tripped by Emir Spahic just inside the box and the midfielder clinically scored from the spot.
Greece scored twice in the final 11 minutes to top Group F after David Targamadze had fired host Georgia into a 19th-minute lead.
Substitute Giorgos Fotakis leveled for the 2004 European champion from long range and surprise call-up Angelos Charisteas struck the winner five minutes from time.
The Group H showdown between Denmark and Portugal started with the teams level on points at the top of the group and the visitors only needing a draw to qualify.
Instead, Denmark eased through, Michael Krohn-Dehli putting the hosts ahead after 13 minutes and Nicklas Bendtner adding a second just after the hour. The otherwise ineffective Cristiano Ronaldo pulled one back late on with a trademark dipping free kick.
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