(Dan Tri) – In the 2022 World Cup qualifying match in Europe last night, the three giants Germany, Italy, and Spain all won big.
In Group I, despite having the strongest squad and possessing the best physical foundation, England encountered many difficulties in imposing a position on the game against a Poland that proactively played defensive counter-attacks and took advantage of their forwards.
Harry Kane opened the scoring in the 75th minute for England.
England had no chance to penetrate the home team’s goal for nearly the first 20 minutes of the match.
The Tottenham star continues to show his talent for scoring goals at the Three Lions.
In the first 45 minutes, the England team had 5 shots but they were all inaccurate, not once causing goalkeeper Szczesny to have to work.
Jack Grealish, Raheem Sterling or Kalvin Phillips had opportunities to threaten goalkeeper Szczesny’s goal, but either hit this player’s position or lacked a bit of accuracy to score a goal.
Szymanski headed the ball to equalize 1-1 for Poland in stoppage time.
In the 71st minute, the England team’s goal wobbled with Lewandowski’s exemplary handling and finishing, but fortunately the ball went to the right position of goalkeeper Pickford.
But exactly one minute later, Kyle Walker passed to Harry Kane and the England captain had a neat control before launching a dangerous shot from outside the penalty area to open the score 1-0 for the away team.
Poland’s joy when causing the British to break their winning streak in Group I of the 2022 World Cup qualifying round in Europe.
Poland was forced to raise their formation and almost made Pickford a criminal when his upward kick hit midfielder Krychowiak and rolled back into the goal.
It seemed like the British would leave with a victory, but in the second minute of injury time, something unexpected happened.
The disappointment of the English players when they were held to a draw at the last minute.
Sharing points in Poland, the England team is still guaranteed the top spot in the group with 16 points after 6 matches.
Squad
Poland (4-4-2): Szczesny, Dawidowicz, Glik (Helik 80), Bednarek, Puchacz (Rybus 80), Jozwiak (Frankowski 80), Linetty, Krychowiak (Szymanski 68), Moder, Buksa (Swiderski 63),
Goal: Szymanski 90+2
England (4-2-3-1): Pickford, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw, Phillips, Rice, Sterling, Mount, Grealish, Kane
Goals: Kane 72
Welcoming weak opponent Lithuania at home in Group C is a better opportunity for Italy to regain their winning streak after 4 consecutive matches with only draws.
Moise Kean scored twice in Italy’s victory.
In the 11th minute, Moise Kean quickly took advantage of Arvydas Novikovas’s wrong pass to shoot past goalkeeper Ernestas Setkus, opening the score.
Three minutes later, Raspadori had a solo move in the penalty area and then kicked the ball with his left foot.
Edgaras Utkus scored an own goal to help Italy lead 2-0.
By the 24th minute, Raspadori was finally recorded on the scoreboard.
Raspadori increased the score to 3-0 for Italy.
5 minutes later, Federico Bernardeschi pressed the ball for Moise Kean to successfully break the offside trap and easily beat the Lithuanian goalkeeper to bring Italy’s fourth goal after the first half.
In the second half, despite slack play, Italy still scored a fifth goal in the 54th minute. Right-back Di Lorenzo intentionally crossed in, but the ball went high beyond the reach of his teammates and flew straight in.
Di Lorenzo sealed a 5-0 victory for Italy.
Italy impressively defeated Lithuania 5-0 and they still maintain the top spot in Group C with 14 points after 6 matches.
Squad
Italy (4-3-3): Donnarumma (Sirigu 45);
Goals: Kean 11, 29, Utkus OG 14, Raspadori 24, Di Lorenzo 54
Lithuania (4-2-3-1): Setkus;
In Group J, coach Hansi Flick has a chance to win a third time with a relatively easy trip to Iceland’s stadium in the 6th match of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. Germany’s superior advantage in class was soon demonstrated.
Timo Werner had a rather ungainly match.
Joshua Kimmich had a neat control and pushed out to the wing for Leroy Sane to make a razor-sharp pass, eliminating the entire home team’s defense, allowing Serge Gnabry to run in and cushion the ball from close range to open the score 1-0 for Germany.
Germany seemed to slacken and create opportunities for Iceland to have quite dangerous moves on the ball.
Leroy Sane (right) shines in the German team’s victory.
Germany showed the ability to take advantage of good opportunities when in the 24th minute, from Kimmich’s accurate free kick, Ruediger in a quite comfortable position had a header straight into the far corner of Iceland’s goal to increase the score to 2-0.
The pace of the match accelerated very quickly at the beginning of the second half. After Timo Werner missed an opportunity in the 48th minute, Iceland quickly organized the ball.
In the 56th minute, after many bounces in front of Iceland’s penalty area, Goretzka poked the ball through for Sane to finish at a tight angle and hit the roof of the home team’s net to increase the score to 3-0.
Timo Werner got his own goal at the end of the match.
In the 63rd minute, Goretzka directly wrote his name on the electronic board, but VAR stepped in and denied the goal of the player wearing shirt number 8 due to offside.
In the 89th minute, Kai Havertz had a pass to set up Werner. The striker had previously squandered at least 3 cushion goals at a distance of 5 meters to seal a 4-0 victory for Germany.
With this victory, Germany had their third consecutive victory under the reign of coach Hansi Flick, and at the same time consolidated the top spot in Group J with 15 points, 4 points ahead of second place team Armenia and 5 points ahead of third place team Romania.
Squad
Iceland: Halldorsson – Saevarsson, Bjarnason, Fjoluson, Skulason – B.Bjarnason, Palsson (Andri Fannar Baldursson 89′), Johannesson (Arnor Sigurdsson 71′) – J.Gudmundsson (Jon Thorsteinsson 71′), A.Gudmundsson (Andri Gudjohnsen 80
Germany: Neuer – Hofmann (Klostermann 46′), Suele (Gosens 59′), Ruediger, Kehrer – Kimmich, Goretzka (Wirtz 80′) – Gnabry (Havertz 46′), Guendogan, Sane (Musiala 60′) – Werner
Goals: Gnabry (4′), Ruediger (24′), Sane (56′), Werner (89′)
Marching to the field of the penultimate team in Group B, Kosovo, Spain had no difficulty controlling the match after the opening whistle.
Pablo Fornals opened the score 1-0 for Spain.
Pablo Fornals scored his first goal for the Spanish team.
However, Spain had to wait until the 32nd minute to break the deadlock.
Despite being behind, Kosovo did not attack in search of an equalizer.
Coach Luis Enrique directed his players throughout the match.
Entering the second half, Spain still completely controlled the game and created many opportunities but only got one more goal in the last minute of official play.
In the 90th minute, Ferran Torres scored a 2-0 victory for Spain.
Ferran Torres sealed a 2-0 victory for Spain at the end of the match.
Man City players are in good form with Spain in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
With an impressive 2-0 victory, Luis Enrique and his team consolidated the top spot in Group B with 13 points/6 matches but played 2 more matches than the team ranked behind Sweden (9 points).
Squad
Kosovo (4-4-2): Muric;
Spain (4-3-3): Simon;
Goals: Fornals 32, Torres 88