Türkiye inches closer to Euro 2024 in Montella's debut
ISTANBUL
Türkiye has secured a vital 1-0 victory over Croatia in the Euro 2024 qualifiers, marking new coach Vincenzo Montella's first win with the national team.
The win, courtesy of a goal by Barış Alper Yılmaz, propelled Türkiye to the top of Group D and brought them one step closer to qualifying for next year's tournament in Germany.
Yılmaz's decisive goal came in the 30th minute, as he sprinted onto a through ball from Salih Özcan and lobbed the ball over Croatia's goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, who had ventured far out of his box.
With this victory, Türkiye now sits atop Group D with 13 points from six games, three points ahead of Croatia, who have played one game less.
In the other Group D match, Latvia emerged victorious with a 2-0 win against third-place Armenia on their home turf.
Looking ahead, Türkiye is set to face Latvia on Oct. 15, a match that could further solidify its position in the group. The top two teams from each group will automatically qualify for Euro 2024 in Germany.
Meanwhile, in Group A, Spain maintained their dominance by defeating Scotland 2-0, denying the Scottish team the chance to secure a spot in the upcoming Euros. Despite needing just a draw, Scotland faltered against Spain's strong defense.
Spain's victory kept the race for the top spot in Group A wide open, with Scotland leading the group with 15 points, followed closely by Spain with 12 points and Norway with 10 points.
Erling Haaland scored a pair of second half goals to end a three-game scoreless streak and lead Norway to victory at last-place Cyprus.
Alexander Sorloth had put the visitors ahead in the first half, and Fredrik Aursnes closed the scoring with a late goal.
In Group I, Israel's matches against Switzerland and Kosovo were postponed until November due to the ongoing conflict with Hamas. Romania missed an opportunity to seize the lead in the group after settling for a goalless draw against Belarus.
On the other hand, Kosovo revived their hopes with a convincing 3-0 win against Andorra, keeping their Euro 2024 dreams alive.
In Group E, Albania showcased their strength by defeating the Czech Republic 3-0, maintaining their lead in the group. Poland also made significant progress, moving to the second spot in the group after securing a 2-0 victory against the Faeroe Islands.
With crucial fixtures against Moldova and the Faroe Islands on the horizon, Albania stands on the brink of achieving their greatest milestone in international football – qualifying for Euro 2024.
Meanwhile, Russia defeated Cameroon 1-0 in its first men’s senior international game since the invasion of Ukraine against an opponent from outside Asia.
Russia had previously played three Central Asian nations, plus Iran, Iraq and Qatar. It has been banned from Euro 2024 qualifying because of the war in Ukraine.
On the other hand, Cameroon's football federation president Samuel Eto’o is under pressure while facing an investigation by the Confederation of African Football for alleged “improper conduct.”