But the evening belongs to the flying Finns, who have made it to the finals of a major championship for the very first time in their history. An end to 81 years of hurt. And a perfect excuse to whip off the old breeks and lounge around in your string vest and pants, sipping on a couple of ice-cold tins. Go on, enjoy yourself. Nobody’s watching, and anyway, life’s too short. Congratulations Finland, and thanks for reading Clockwatch!
It’s been a great evening for Sweden, who have secured their qualification from Group F. Switzerland meanwhile are as good as there, providing they don’t embarrass themselves by failing to win in Gibraltar on Monday night. Denmark just need to avoid defeat in Dublin to make it through themselves, but that’s easier said than done, given an Irish win would see Mick McCarthy’s men through instead. It’s going to be some match.
With that, all the full-time results are in. Well done to Malta for limiting Spain to seven this time, a five-goal improvement on the farce of 1983.
- Bosnia-Herzegovina 0-3 Italy
- Denmark 6-0 Gibraltar
- Romania 0-2 Sweden
- Spain 7-0 Malta
- Switzerland 1-0 Georgia
GOAL! Denmark 6-0 Gibraltar (Eriksen 90+3). Joe Chipolita, playing out from the back, rolls the ball straight at Christian Eriksen, who slams the ball into the bottom right. A ruthless punishment. Chipolita may now wish he’d been sent off in the first half for barging into the ref.
The ball drops towards Robert Skov, free, 12 yards out. He could take a touch and score, but opts for the spectacular volley instead. Swish! Air-swipe! Bah! There goes his chance for an international hat-trick. They don’t come along every day, Robert, you know.
GOAL! Spain 7-0 Malta (Navas 85). Jesus Navas, formerly of Manchester City, now of Sevilla, moves Spain into rout territory. If Malta ship a goal a minute for the remainder of the game, their infamous 1983 collapse will be overwritten in the record books.
GOAL! Denmark 5-0 Gibraltar (Eriksen 85). Christian Eriksen cuts in from the right and shapes to shoot towards the left-hand corner. But instead he switches aim towards the bottom right. Kyle Goldwin is rooted to the spot, wrong-footed, and in it whistles. The Danes have been much better in this second half. After a slow start, this is becoming a real confidence builder ahead of Dublin.
That’s a huge goal for the Swiss, who as things stand leapfrog the Republic of Ireland into second place in Group D. They’d be one point behind Denmark, and two ahead of the Irish, with only a visit to Gibraltar left on their itinerary. In other words, if they hold on to win tonight, they’re practically through. Ireland and Denmark would battle it out for the final qualification spot on Monday.
GOAL! Switzerland 1-0 Georgia (Itten 77). The Swiss break the deadlock in St Gallen! And it’s a delightful goal. Denis Zakaria, to the right of the D, floats a diagonal chip towards Cedric Itten, who guides a gorgeously weighted header back across Giorgi Loria and into the right-hand corner.
Incidentally, Spain’s third, initially credited to Paco Alcacer, is now officially the work of Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres. Another debut goal.
GOAL! Spain 6-0 Malta (Gerard 71). It continues, Villarreal striker Gerard the latest to chip in. It was still 8-1 at this point in 1983, so the 2019 vintage is catching up a bit. Oh Malta.
GOAL! Spain 5-0 Malta (Olmo 69). Young winger Dani Olmo of Dinamo Zagreb, making his debut for Spain, gets on the scoresheet. If Malta aren’t careful, this could soon turn into an ersatz tribute to that Euro 84 miracle.
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GOAL! Spain 4-0 Malta (Sarabia 63). Pablo Sarabia of PSG adds another. The 1983 score at this stage: 8-1, Poli Rincon completing a hat-trick just one minute after Maceda’s aforementioned second.
GOAL! Denmark 4-0 Gibraltar (Skov 64). The Danes wake up again. Daniel Wass makes it to the byline out on the right, then cuts back for Robert Skov, who opens his body and sidefoots crisply into the bottom left.
GOAL! Spain 3-0 Malta (Alcacer 62). Borussia Dortmund’s Paco Alcacer makes it three for the Red Fury. It was 7-1 at this point back in 1983, Antonio Maceda having just scored his second goal in three minutes.
That quick double whammy apart, watching Denmark has been hard work this evening. To be fair, they’ll already have one eye on Monday night’s match in Dublin, and will be conserving energy accordingly. But still, this is time none of us are ever getting back.
GOAL! Bosnia-Herzegovina 0-3 Italy (Belotti 52). Torino striker Andrea Belotti sends the runaway Group J leaders away down Easy Street.
GOAL! Denmark 3-0 Gibraltar (Braithwaite 51). The Danes are clearly in the mind to right the wrongs of their turgid first-half display. Eriksen crosses from the left. Goldwin parries weakly, teeing up the in-rushing Martin Braithwaite, who smashes home with great feeling!
GOAL! Denmark 2-0 Gibraltar (Gytkjaer 47). That’s livened everyone up! A garden variety punt down the middle. Kyle Goldwin in the Gibraltar goal should deal with it easily, but instead rushes rashly out of his area, misjudging the flight, letting the ball bound over his confused noggin. Christian Gytkjaer is on hand to poke into an empty net. Oh dear.
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Here we go again, then. The second halves are underway, all across Europe. Despite the restart, it’s fairly quiet at the Telia Parken in Copenhagen. Maybe everyone’s got bored and chipped off down Mikkeller.
Half-time Eurotainment.
The half-time scores:
- Bosnia-Herzegovina 0-2 Italy
- Denmark 1-0 Gibraltar
- Romania 0-2 Sweden
- Spain 2-0 Malta
- Switzerland 0-0 Georgia
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Denmark troop off at the break in Copenhagen, currently held to a single goal by the minnows of Gibraltar. A smattering of boos. It’s not exactly been dynamite. Speaking of which, any old excuse ... and if you haven’t bought the classic book, be about your business!
GOAL! Spain 2-0 Malta (Cazorla 41). Santi Cazorla with a second for Spain. All good and well, but they were 3-1 up by this stage in 1983. Standards are clearly slipping.
GOAL! Bosnia-Herzegovina 0-2 Italy (Insigne 37). Lorenzo Insigne of Napoli puts the Azzurri one step closer to a perfect qualification record.
GOAL! Romania 0-2 Sweden (Quaison 34). It looks as though Sweden are going to do a number on the Romanians again. Mainz striker Robin Quaison has doubled the Blågult’s lead. As things stand, the Swedes will be at Euro 2020 next summer.
In lieu of action, anyone for satire? Here’s Simon McMahon. “Congratulations to Finland blah blah blah, but I think even Scotland could have qualified from a group including the likes of Italy, Greece and Bosnia - it’s not like any of them have won anything recently, is it? Unlike European giants Cyprus, Kazakhstan and San Marino that Scotland found themselves paired with. It’s a conspiracy, I tell you.”
In Copenhagen, Gibraltar’s Joe Chipolina has been booked for barging into the referee in the style of a galoot. He was unhappy at not being awarded a free kick, and “accidentally” ran into Istvan Vad of Hungary. That was hilariously saucy, an act of brazen cheek. He’s very fortunate not to see red.
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GOAL! Spain 1-0 Malta (Morata 23). Alvaro Morata opens the scoring in Cadiz. Ah, Miles and Gil.
GOAL! Romania 0-1 Sweden (Berg 18). First blood to the Swedes in Bucharest, drawn by Krasnodar striker Marcus Berg.
GOAL! Bosnia-Herzegovina 0-1 Italy (Acerbi 21). Francesco Acerbi of Lazio opens the scoring for the 1968 champions, who have already won Group J at a canter. They’re eight wins from eight, and are already in good shape to maintain their 100 percent record.
Georgia are asking a few questions of the Swiss in the early exchanges in St Gallen. Kvilitaia, falling backwards, scoops a shot onto the right-hand post. Very unlucky. Meanwhile there’s more goalframe-bothering action back in Copenhagen, where Jorgensen crashes a header off the crossbar from a couple of yards.
Wass is hacked down by Olivero, just to the right of the Gibraltar box. It’s one of the most ludicrously agricultural clatters you’re ever likely to see, and the defender’s got some brass neck arguing the toss as he goes in the referee’s notebook. Skov, high on life, wastes the free kick by going direct for goal from a tight angle with way too much height and power.
GOAL! Denmark 1-0 Gibraltar (Skov 12). A messy scramble in the Gibraltar box. Goldwin flaps, Roy Chipolina can’t hack clear, and amid a melee also involving Eriksen and Braithwaite, Skov flicks home while falling to the floor.
Skov finds plenty of space as he enters the Gibraltar box on the right. He dinks the ball past the keeper Goldwin, but Roy Chipolina is on hand to hack clear. Denmark’s first real chance passes by. But no matter, because ...
Nothing came of the corner, by the way. No quick starts in any of the five matches.
Gibraltar can’t get out of their half during the opening exchanges. It’s something of a surprise, then, when they win the first corner of the match. It’s gift-wrapped by Kjaer and Schmeichel, the former lumping a blind backpass towards a keeper nowhere near his own area. Very clumsy. Denmark are very fortunate that Kjaer’s backpass wasn’t directed at the goal, because had it been, that was one for Danny Baker’s next bloopers VHS tape, whenever that’s coming out.
Here we go then! The five evening kick-offs are underway. Let’s start by keeping an eye on Gibraltar, and how long they can hold out against Denmark in a very wet Copenhagen.
Romania versus Sweden has plenty of historical resonance too. Revisit their USA ‘94 quarter final with the World Cup’s premier historian.
Ah yes, Spain versus Malta. Enjoy, enjoy.
The teamsheets for the 7.45pm kick-offs have landed. Here they are, for your perusal ...
Bosnia-Herzegovina: Sehic, Kvrzic, Kovacevic, Bicakcic, Kolasinac, Besic, Pjanic, Cimirot, Visca, Dzeko, Krunic.
Subs: Saric, Piric, Buric, Hotic, Hajrovic, Hajradinovic, Mihojevic, Hodzic, Duljevic, Jajalo, Memisevic, Civic.
Italy: Donnarumma, Florenzi, Bonucci, Acerbi, Emerson Palmieri, Barella, Jorginho, Tonali, Bernardeschi, Belotti, Insigne.
Subs: El Shaarawy, Gollini, Izzo, Di Lorenzo, Castrovilli, Chiesa, Romagnoli, Zaniolo, Sirigu, Immobile, Mandragora, Biraghi.
Denmark: Schmeichel, Wass, Jorgensen, Kjaer, Larsen, Delaney, Schone, Skov, Eriksen, Braithwaite, Gytkjaer.
Subs: Andersen, Ronnow, Cornelius, Dalsgaard, Poulsen, Hansen, Dolberg, Hojbjerg, Norgaard, Ankersen, Knudsen, Christensen.
Gibraltar: Goldwin, Sergeant, Roy Chipolina, Joseph Chipolina, Olivero, Casciaro, Walker, Badr, Mouelhi, Britto, De Barr.
Subs: Barnett, Jolley, Garcia, Banda, Power, Santos, Andrew Hernandez, Pons, Styche, Anthony Hernandez, Coombes, Coleing.
Romania: Tatarusanu, Mogos, Rus, Nedelcearu, Bancu, Deac, Baluta, Stanciu, Mitrita, Puscas, Keseru.
Subs: Lucien Cristea, Nistor, Lung, Alibec, Tosca, Coman, Cicaldau, Hagi, Nita, Budescu, Marin, Benzar.
Sweden: Olsen, Lustig, Lindelof, Granqvist, Bengtsson, Larsson, Ekdal, Forsberg, Olsson, Berg, Quaison.
Subs: Svensson, Jansson, Helander, Nordfeldt, Gagliolo, Sema, Andersson, Kulusevski, Johnsson, Isak, Svanberg, Tankovic.
Spain: Pau Lopez, Jesus Navas, Albiol, Sergio Ramos, Bernat, Thiago, Rodri, Cazorla, Gerard, Morata, Sarabia.
Subs: Torres, Saul, Gaya, Fabian, Olmo, de Gea, Alcacer, Carvajal, Busquets, Martinez, Arrizabalaga, Oyarzabal.
Malta: Bonello, Corbalan, Jonathan Caruana, Agius, Zach Muscat, Pisani, Paiber, Vella, Rowen Muscat, Joseph Mbong, Nwoko.
Subs: Tristan Caruana, Grech, Fenech, Micallef, Al-Tumi, Gambin, Haber, Effiong, Mifsud, Zerafa, Nicky Muscat.
Switzerland: Sommer, Elvedi, Akanji, Rodriguez, Lichtsteiner, Zakaria, Xhaka, Steffen, Fernandes, Ajeti, Seferovic.
Subs: Omlin, Benito, Vargas, Mvogo, Comert, Itten, Aebischer, Sow, Moubandje, Lang, Mbabu, Fassnacht.
Georgia: Loria, Kakabadze, Kashia, Grigalava, Khotcholava, Kankava, Kiteishvili, Davitashvili, Shengelia, Qazaishvili, Kvilitaia.
Subs: Azouz, Lobjanidze, Gvilia, Makaridze, Arabuli, Papunashvili, Rekhviashvili, Kharaishvili, Aburjania, Daushvili, Kupatadze, Navalovski.
There are still five qualifiers to play, but whatever happens next, tonight belongs to Finland. And in particular Norwich City striker Teemu Pukki, whose nine goals in nine matches have propelled the Finns to their first-ever major finals. Only Harry Kane, Eran Zahavi and Cristiano Ronaldo have scored more during this campaign, and that’s mighty fine company to be keeping. Giddy supporters are still cavorting across the pitch. In the stand, the great Jari Litmanen smiles beatifically. And up and down this vast country, Pukki parties will be breaking out, the striker’s name sung all across the land...
FULL TIME: Brazil 0-1 Argentina
Lionel Messi’s first-half goal, the rebound off his missed penalty, was the difference in Riyadh, and gives the Albiceleste (displaced) local bragging rights.
FULL TIME: Armenia 0-1 Greece
FULL TIME: Norway 4-0 Faroe Islands
The other two early kick-offs end quietly by comparison. The 2004 champions Greece keep their play-off hopes alive with a win in Armenia. Norway are assured of a play-off berth whatever, but they’ve kept hold of their dream of automatic qualification.
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Finland qualify for Euro 2020!
FULL TIME: Finland 3-0 Lichtenstein. Jasse Tuominen and Teemu Pukki bring an end to 81 years of hurt, as Finland qualify for a major finals for the very first time in their history! Helsinki erupts in delight. The pitch fills with fans. A few eyes fill with tears. It’s been a long wait. It’s going to be a long night. Time to strip off the breeks and crack open a tin; the evening’s only just begun.
There won’t be a hat-trick tonight for Teemu Pukki. He’s substituted with six minutes to play, and having scored his eighth and ninth goals of Finland’s first-ever successful qualifying campaign, receives the thunderous ovation he deserves! A huge smile breaks out deep within that hipster’s beard.
Finland are in full Pukki party mode now. Joni Kauko lashes a shot goalwards, only to see his rising effort deflected just over the bar. Lichtenstein just about deal with the two corners that follow, but the visitors are beginning to look rather ragged now, having defended so staunchly for so long.
GOAL! Finland 3-0 Lichtenstein (Pukki 75). The goal-hungry Teemu Pukki latches onto a pass down the middle, rounds the keeper on the right, slaps a first shot against the chest of Andreas Malin on the line, then whips his second attempt past the brave defender and in. Finland’s participation at Euro 2020 is beyond all doubt now!
Incidentally, old pals Brazil and Argentina are currently shaking their hips for coin in Saudi Arabia. Here’s the team-sheet for that one:
Brazil: Alisson, Danilo, Eder Militao, Thiago Silva, Alex Sandro, Casemiro, Arthur, Lucas Paqueta, Gabriel Jesus, Willian, Firmino.
Subs: Santos, Fuzato, Emerson, Renan Lodi, Felipe, Marquinhos, Fabinho, Douglas Luiz, Coutinho, Rodrygo, Richarlison, Wesley.
Argentina: Andrada, Foyth, Pezzella, Otamendi, Tagliafico, De Paul, Paredes, Lo Celso, Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Ocampos.
Subs: Marchesin, Musso, Damian Martinez, Acuna, Alario, Dominguez, Dybala, Gonzalez, Kannemann, Aguero, Pereyra, Perez, Rodriguez, Rojo, Saravia.
They’re midway through the second half right now, and it’s been eventful. Gabriel Jesus won a penalty for Brazil, then missed it. Not long after, Lionel Messi earned a spot kick for Argentina ... and his effort was saved by Alisson Becker! Unfortunately for the Brazil and Liverpool keeper, he could only tee up Messi to slot home the rebound on 14 minutes.
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GOAL! Norway 3-0 Faroe Islands (Sorloth 62)
GOAL! Norway 4-0 Faroe Islands (Sorloth 65)
Well, the substitute Alexander Sorloth isn’t messing about, is he. Two in three minutes for the young striker, currently on loan at Trabzonspor from our very own Crystal Palace.
GOAL! Finland 2-0 Liechtenstein (Pukki 64 pen). Teemu Pukki slams his eighth goal of the campaign into the bottom left corner, sending the keeper the wrong way! Finland are now so, so close to their first-ever finals, and Helsinki erupts in delight!
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Penalty for Finland! Teemu Pukki very nearly loops a header into the top right. It’s clawed out. But the Finns come straight back at Liechtenstein. Pyry Soiri cuts in from the left, and his driving run is brought to an undignified end by a defender in red.
No second-half goals in the other two games yet. Norway still lead the Faroes 2-0 thanks to a couple of very early goals, Tore Reginiussen opening the scoring after four minutes, Iver Fossum doubling their lead on eight. Meanwhile Armenia trail 1-0 at home to Greece, the Euro 2004 champions leading by Dimitrios Limnios’s 34th-minute goal.
Finland are knocking at the door. Specifically Robin Lod, who has just had two attempts within 60 seconds. The first was a speculative dig from distance that’s currently flying towards Iceland; the second was a snapshot from a left-wing cutback that whistled inches wide of the left-hand post. He really should have scored that second one.
To Helsinki, then, where Finland are within touching distance of their first-ever major finals appearance. They’re leading thanks to Jasse Tuominen’s 21st-minute strike, swept home from 12 yards after Teemu Pukki’s shot was blocked on the edge of the box. Tuominen very nearly made it 2-0 just after the start of the second half, but his header from a right-wing corner twanged off the right-hand post. So it’s still just the slim 1-0 lead ... though the hosts are utterly dominant. Liechtenstein are offering nowt.
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First up, the teamsheets in the early kick-offs. You know, for kids completists.
Armenia: Hayrapetyan, Hambardzumyan, Voskanyan, Calisir, Ishkhanyan, Kamo Hovhannisyan, Barseghyan, Grigoryan, Hovsepyan, Vardanyan, Karapetyan.
Subs: Avetisyan, Danielyan, Sarkisov, Manucharyan, Harutyunyan, Simonyan, Yedigaryan, Babayan,
Beglaryan, Kasparov, Arman Hovhannisyan.
Greece: Vlachodimos, Bakakis, Chatzidiakos, Stafylidis, Giannoulis, Kourmpelis, Galanopoulos, Limnios, Pavlidis, Mandalos, Bakasetas.
Subs: Tsimikas, Vasiliadis, Barkas, Mavrias, Lampropoulos, Bouchalakis, Siovas, Koulouris, Paschalakis, Donis, Fetfatzidis, Masouras.
Finland: Hradecky, Raitala, Toivio, Arajuuri, Pirinen, Lod, Sparv, Kamara, Soiri, Tuominen, Pukki.
Subs: Taylor, Schuller, Jensen, Sauli Vaisanen, Joronen, Skrabb, Leo Vaisanen, Lam, Jaakkola, Kauko, Karjalainen, O’Shaughnessy.
Liechtenstein: Benjamin Buchel, Brandle, Malin, Rechsteiner, Goppel, Martin Buchel, Meier, Hasler, Polverino, Salanovic, Frick.
Subs: Sandro Wolfinger, Justin Ospelt, Gubser, Lo Russo, Yildiz, Kardesoglu, Fabio Wolfinger, Sele, Marco Wolfinger, Philipp Ospelt.
Norway: Jarstein, Elabdellaoui, Ajer, Reginiussen, Aleesami, Fossum, Berge, Henriksen, Selnaes, Haland, King.
Subs: Hovland, Thorsby, Ulvestad, Svensson, Gyrtebust, Sorloth, Daehli, Rosted, Nyland, Tarik Elyounoussi, Meling.
Faroe Islands: Gunnar Nielsen, Faero, Gregersen, Vatnsdal, Sorensen, Brandur Olsen, Baldvinsson, Ari Jonsson, Vatnhamar, Edmundsson, Bjartalid.
Subs: Kristian Joensen, Johannesen, Klaemint Olsen, Danielsen, Davidsen, Gestsson, Bartalsstovu, Eriksen, Frederiksberg, Egilsson.
Preamble
The great Jari Litmanen never graced a major international tournament. Neither did Sami Hyypiä. Or Mikael Forssell, Jussi Jääskeläinen, Antti Niemi, Hannu Tihinen, Jonatan Johansson, Aki Riihilahti, Mixu Paatelainen, Petri Pasanen or Joonas Kolkka. Finland have never made it to the finals of either the World Cup or the European Championships, you see. They’re the only major Nordic country yet to do so.
But we’re 45 minutes (plus stoppages) away from righting that historical wrong. Finland are a goal up against Liechtenstein in Helsinki right now, with the second half just kicking off. A win will guarantee them a place in next summer’s Euro 2020 finals. Tim Sparv and Teemu Pukki are about to achieve what legends like Jari and Sami never could. This is happening!
It’s not the only Euro 2020 qualifier taking place tonight. Three games are currently in play, having kicked off at 5pm GMT ...
- Armenia 0-1 Greece (HT)
- Finland 1-0 Lichtenstein (HT)
- Norway 2-0 Faroe Islands (HT)
... while five more will get going at 7.45pm:
- Bosnia-Herzegovina v Italy
- Denmark v Gibraltar
- Switzerland v Georgia
- Romania v Sweden
- Spain v Malta
All the action coming up, for your leisure and pleasure. It’s on!
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