There’s been a whole host of Euro 2021 Qualifiers and worldwide friendlies over the past week. Impetus brings you up to date with all the action.
In the Euro 2021 qualifiers, Netherlands took complete control of Group A with two wins over the past week. They returned from Izmir on 8th November with a comprehensive 8-0 win over Turkey, who are still looking for their first win of the qualifying campaign. Danielle van der Donk grabbed a seventeen minute hat-trick, Vivianne Miedema added a further two. Shanice van der Sanden and a brace from Sherida Spitse completed the rout. Four days later at the GelreDome in Arnhem in front of over 23,000 fans, the Dutch recovered from going a goal down to sweep aside closest rivals Slovenia 4-1. After Kaja Erzen’s opener for the visitors, two Sherida Spitse penalties and a Vivianne Miedema brace sealed the win. Russia and Kosovo both have three games in hand over the Dutch, who are twelve points clear at the top.
In Group B, Italy and Denmark are still battling it out at the top, both still hold 100% records, although the Danes have a game in hand. The only game on 8th November saw the Italians ease past Georgia 6-0 in Benevento. Two from Daniela Sabatino, plus efforts from Elena Linari, Alia Guagni, Christiana Girelli and Martina Rosucci earned the win. On 12th November, the Danes racked up a comprehensive 14-0 win over Georgia in Viborg. Nadia Nadim, Stine Larssen and Pernille Harder all grabbed hat-tricks with Nicoline Sorensen adding a brace. The other goals came from Sofie Svava, Nanna Christiansen and Rikke Madsen. Italy gained a routine 5-0 win over Malta in Castel di Sangro with Valentina Cernoia grabbing two and Daniela Sabatina, Manuela Giugliano and Giada Greggi also on the mark. Bosnia Herzegovina cemented third place, six points adrift with Sofija Krajsumovic, Dajana Spasojevic and Marija Aleksic scoring in their 3-1 win in Israel, for whom Mor Efraim was on target.
Norway racked up another big win in their procession towards qualification from Group C. They saw off Northern Ireland 6-0 in Stavanger. Lisa-Marie Utland and Caroline Graham Hansen grabbed a brace each along with Guro Reiten and Ingrid Engen. The Norweigans have now scored thirty-two goals in their four qualifying games so far. In the only game on 12th November, second placed Wales failed to seriously dent the Norweigans’ advantage when they could only gain a 0-0 draw in Northern Ireland.
The arm-wrestle at the top of Group D continues after Spain’s hopes of pulling away from the Czech Republic ended in colossal disappointment. and Spain. On 8th November, the Czechs earned a 4-0 win away to Azerbaijan. Lucie Vonkova (2), Andrea Staskova and Kamila Dubcova were on target in Baku to cut Spain’s lead to a single point. 10th November saw the bottom two battle it out in Chisinau where Moldova earned a first win with a 3-1 success over Azerbaijan. It was their goalkeeper Natalia Munteanu who slotted home two penalties and Caroline Tabur added the other. Alina Dorofeeva scored the only goal for Azerbaijan. On 12th November, Spain suffered a hugely disappointing 0-0 draw in Poland, where over 7,500 saw their heroes earn a great point in Lubin.
Finland remain top of Group E, although they have played two more games than the second placed Scotland. On 8th November, the Finns eased past Cyprus 4-0 thanks to goals from Linda Sallstrom, Emmi Alanen, Natalia Kuikka and Emma Koivisto. On the same evening, Scotland put in a hugely impressive performance as they gained a deserved 5-0 win in Albania. Claire Emslie, Jane Ross, Erin Cuthbert, Hannah Godfrey and Christie Murray were on target. On 12th November, Finland increased their lead to four points over the Scots with an important 1-1 draw in Portugal thanks to a last gasp equaliser from Linda Sallstrom after Claudia Neto had given the home side the lead in Braga.
In Group F, Sweden and Iceland remain clear of the rest despite neither being in qualification action in the past week. On 8th November, the top two’s closest rivals Slovakia and Hungary did themselves no favours after playing out a 0-0 draw in Senec. Four days later, Hungary gained their first win of the campaign by dispatching rock bottom Latvia 4-0. Zsanett Jakobfi, Dora Zeller, Evelin Fenyvesi and Sara Pusztai scored.
The latest action in Group G sees Austria and France’s procession at the top continue. Austria opened up the latest series of matches on 8th November with a comfortable 3-0 win in North Macedonia. Nicole Billa’s penalty put them ahead before strikes from Sarah Zadrazil and Barbara Dunst completed the job. A day later, France brushed aside Serbia 6-0 in front of a good crowd of 21,211 in Bordeaux. An Amel Majri hat-trick saw the French on their way ahead of further goals from Onema Geyoro, Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Vivianne Asseyi. On 12th November, Austria moved six points clear with two games in hand over the French after they hammered Kazakhstan 9-0. Julia Hickelsperger-Fuller hit four goals with Nicole Biller grabbing a hat-trick. Laura Feiersinger and Sarah Zabrizil completed the rout.
Belgium and Switzerland still lead the way in Group H and are level on points. On 8th November, a 9th minute goal from Laura de Neve was enough to earn the Belgians a hard fought win in Romania. Switzerland’s good form continued with a 2-0 win over Croatia in Thun thanks to strikes from Ann-Maria Crnogorcevic and Geraldine Reuteler. On 12th November, both earned 6-0 victories. The Swiss dispatched Romania with Ramona Bachmann hitting a hat-trick and Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic, Fabienne Humm and Svenja Folmli adding the others. Belgium’s six goals in their win over Lithuania came courtesy of Tine de Caigny’s five and one from Algimante Mikutaite.
Finally to Group I where Greece kept their qualification hopes alive with a 4-0 win in Montenegro on 6th November. Danai-Eleni Sidira’s brace plus further strikes from Christina Kokoviadou and Thomai Vardali earned the points. They followed this up on 12th November with a decent 1-1 draw over Republic of Ireland thanks to Anastasia Spyridonidou’s stoppage time equaliser. Amber Barrett’s first half strike had looked to earn the Irish all three points. Germany remain top, five points clear of the Republic of Ireland. Greece are a further three points in arrears.
Friendly Round-up:
Daisy Wildsmith’s opinion pieces for us on the Lionesses friendly with Germany in front of over 77,000 at Wembley can be read here: https://impetus885775742.wordpress.com/2019/11/10/in-my-view-5/ . Whilst England did gain a victory three days later in the Czech Republic, it was yet another performance which led to more question marks over the progress of the squad. Goals from Beth England, Beth Mead and Leah Williamson edged out the home side, for whom Tereza Szewieczkova scored two excellent goals in the Ceske Budejovice snow.
Our full report on Australia’s first game against Chile on 10th November can be read here https://impetus885775742.wordpress.com/2019/11/09/sizzling-sam-scorches-chile/. The Matildas followed this up with a 1-0 win over the same opposition in Adelaide three days later. On this occasion, Emily Gielnik lashed a superb finish from an acute angle after an inch perfect pass from Sam Kerr played her in. Kerr could have added a second just before the break, but her penalty was saved. 10,340 were in attendance at Coopers Stadium.
On 8th November, Sweden came back from 3-0 down against the USA in Vlakto Andronovski’s first game in charge of the World champions in Colombus with two second half strikes from Anna Anvegard, but it was not enough. An early goal from Carli Lloyd gave the Americans the lead before Christen Press added her fiftieth goal for her country to double the hosts advantage. Another goal from Lloyd sealed the win in front of 20,903 supporters. Two days later they brushed aside Costa Rica 6-0 in Jacksonville. Carli Lloyd, Morgan Brian, Christen Press, a Stephanie Blanco own goal and two from Lynn Williams sealed the deal in a game watched by 12,914.
Japan saw off South Africa 2-0 in Kitakyushu on 11th November. Saki Kumagai and Yuika Sugasawa were on the mark.
Argentina have been busy with three games in the past week. They began the period with two victories in three days – opening with a 2-1 success in Paraguay on 7th November and followed up with a 1-0 win at home to Colombia. Their third game saw them host the Colombians again on 12th November in a game which ended 2-2.
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