Netherlands move in behind France in Euro 2024 qualifying Group B after goals from Marten de Roon, Liverpool's Cody Gakpo and Wout Weghorst against Greece; Lionel Messi scores glorious free-kick as Argentina edge past Ecuador in opening World Cup qualifier
Friday 8 September 2023 07:57, UK
The Netherlands' Euro 2024 qualifying campaign is firmly back on track after a 3-0 victory over Greece lifted them into second place in Group B.
France, who comprehensively beat the Dutch in the opening game, top the group with a 100 per cent record after a fifth successive victory following their 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland, with Aurelien Tchouameni and Marcus Thuram scoring.
But the Netherlands have now moved in behind them after a second successive victory with goals from Marten de Roon, Liverpool's Cody Gakpo and on-loan Burnley striker Wout Weghorst.
Meanwhile, Argentina started their World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign with a 1-0 win over Ecuador in Buenos Aires.
The only goal of the game came with 78 minutes on the clock, when Lionel Messi beat goalkeeper Hernan Galindez with a glorious trademark free-kick from just outside the D. It was the 36-year-old's 104th international goal.
Back in Europe, Albania maintained their Euro 2024 qualifying challenge in Group E as a 1-1 draw with leaders Czech Republic kept them ahead of Poland.
Nedim Bajrami's 66th-minute goal cancelled out Vaclav Cerny's opener to earn them a point in Prague, while Robert Lewandowski scored twice - one a penalty - as the Poles beat Faroe Islands 2-0.
Hungary came from behind to beat Serbia 2-1 and open up a three-point cushion at the top of Group G, as Barnabas Varga and Willi Orban scored within three first-half minutes of each other as they recovered from Atila Szalai's early own goal.
Lithuania's Fedor Cernych scored a stoppage-time equaliser in a 2-2 draw to damage Montenegro's chances after Nikola Krstovic and Stefan Savic had struck late in the game to take the lead.
Denmark playmaker Christian Eriksen put on a passing masterclass in his side's 4-0 win over San Marino in their Euro 2024 Group H qualifier, scoring one goal and creating two more as his side cruised to an easy victory over the visitors.
Eriksen was denied the chance to break the deadlock from the spot 20 minutes in when a penalty decision was overturned by VAR, but the Danes soon took the lead through Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
The combative midfielder allowed a clever pass from Jonas Wind to run across his body before rattling home a right-footed shot to open the scoring in the 26th minute.
The second goal came two minutes later when Eriksen wrong-footed the San Marino defence with a sublime backheel into the path of the onrushing Joakim Maehle, who took the ball past the keeper and slotted home a simple finish.
Making his 123rd appearance for Denmark, Eriksen notched up his second assist in the 40th minute, teeing up striker Wind to score, and he finally got on the scoresheet himself in second-half stoppage time as a speculative cross caught San Marino keeper Elia Benedettini napping.
That goal was originally credited to substitute Yussuf Poulsen but UEFA's website was later updated, awarding the goal to Eriksen to round off a superb evening for the 31-year-old.
The victory moves Denmark to second in the group on 10 points after five games, two behind leaders Finland and ahead of third-placed Slovenia on goal difference.
