European Championship Qualifying roundup: Luxembourg earn first win as Lithuania hang on
Luxembourg 2 Liechtenstein 0
Luxembourg secured their first victory of UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying as a richly-deserved 2-0 triumph over Liechtenstein extended the Blue-Reds’ desperate losing streak to 16 matches.
Having conceded 11 goals in their opening two Group J fixtures against Portugal and Iceland, Liechtenstein knew a drastic improvement was needed to keep their slim hopes of qualification alive. A trip to Luxembourg - who came into the contest on the back of four consecutive European qualifying home defeats - seemed like an ideal opportunity to kickstart their campaign, however, the hosts were quick to stamp their authority on proceedings during a cagey opening half-hour.
Despite a distinct lack of quality in the final third, Luxembourg continued to dominate possession in pursuit of an opener, but Benjamin Büchel stood firm in the visitors’ goal to deny Danel Sinani and Marvin Martins, while Yvandro Borges Sanches powered a close-range effort agonisingly against the post.
Grateful to still be level at the interval, Liechtenstein emerged after the restart desperate to gain a foothold in the contest, but it was Büchel who again came to the visitors’ rescue, saving superbly from Martins. Undeterred by Büchel’s heroics, Luxembourg continued to probe for a breakthrough, and their persistence was finally rewarded on the hour mark, as a low strike from substitute Gerson Rodrigues was tapped home by Sinani on the line.
Armed with the advantage going into the final 20 minutes, the hosts searched for a second to put the game beyond Liechtenstein’s reach, and it duly arrived in the 89th minute when Rodrigues jinked through a couple of challenges before unleashing a sublime strike into the bottom corner.
That piece of individual brilliance wrapped up a thoroughly deserved victory for the hosts as they rise to third, albeit temporarily. Meanwhile, Liechtenstein remain rock-bottom and pointless in Group J, as their wait for an international victory extends to a remarkable 28 matches.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Gerson Rodrigues (Luxembourg)
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Lithuania 1 Bulgaria 1
Ten-man Lithuania held Bulgaria to a 1-1 UEFA European Championship draw, and claimed their first point in the competition’s qualifying stages since June 2019 in the process.
Lithuania began on the front foot, seemingly eager to hit the net for the first time in five matches. And the hosts’ prayers were answered with an early goal, as a succession of corners eventually led to Edvinas Girdvainis volleying in off the post from Gvidas Gineitis’ cross. But the good times would only last for a few fleeting moments, as Justas Lasickas was dismissed three minutes later for a heavy challenge on Kiril Despodov.
Inevitably, momentum swung in Bulgaria’s favour and their man advantage soon showed. A well-worked corner routine ended with Stanislav Shopov teeing up Marin Petkov on the edge of the area, and the midfielder drilled a powerful low strike into the net to give Bulgaria their first goal in Euro 2024 qualifying. Unrelenting with a numerical edge, Bulgaria continued to create chances as half-time loomed, and Despodov notably hit a rising strike from distance that Edvinas Gertmonas palmed away.
Both sides sensed an opportunity to get off the mark in their Group G qualifying campaign, and a cagier start to the second period ensued. However, Despodov emerged once again as Bulgaria’s main threat, and he rose to meet Ivaylo Chochev’s cross, only to head just over the crossbar. Lithuania would not be held back by their numerical disadvantage though, and the hosts almost struck two home goals for the first time since October 2021, when Gineitis’ free-kick flew inches wide of the post.
In the closing stages, Lithuania threw bodies on the line to repel several late Bulgarian advances, and the hosts successfully ended their three-match losing streak on home soil. Ultimately, Bulgaria will see this as a missed opportunity to close the gap on Group G’s top two, as the one-time World Cup semi-finalists’ torrid away winless run in Euro and World Cup qualifiers extended to 17 matches.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Gvidas Gineitis (Lithuania)