That’s all from me. It’s been a rollercoaster. Bye!
Updated
And here’s Jon final word on Switzerland-Denmark: “the Swiss were the better Team in the first half, but Denmark better in the second half. After the Swiss took off Xhaka, and they fell apart.The draw was not undeserved.”
Here’s Reuters on Bosnia & Herzegovina 2-2 Greece:
Greece fought back from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw in Bosnia after the hosts had Miralem Pjanic sent off in a pulsating Euro 2020 Group J qualifier on Tuesday.
The result left both sides on four points from two games, two behind leaders Italy who thrashed Lichtenstein 6-0 at home and one ahead of Finland after their 2-0 win in Armenia.
The Armenians and Lichtenstein have no points.
Bosnia took a 2-0 lead through Edin Visca and Pjanic in the opening 15 minutes but Konstantinos Fortounis pulled one back with a penalty and substitute Dimitris Kolovos levelled after Pjanic was shown a straight red card for a reckless tackle on Zeca.
Roared on by a fervent home crowd, the Bosnians made a flying start as Visca steered in a left-footed shot before Pjanic left Greece keeper Odisseas Vlachodimos rooted to his line with a superb free kick from 30 metres.
Fortounis drilled in his 64th-minute spot-kick after he was tripped by Toni Sunjic and Pjanic turned from hero to villain barely 60 seconds later after a studs-up challenge on Portuguese-born midfielder Zeca.
Bosnia keeper Ibrahim Sehic denied Kolovos with a reflex save in the 77th but was powerless in the 85th as the midfielder drove home an unstoppable header off the underside of the bar after a fine cross from the right by Zeca.
Updated
And here’s Ben Fisher’s report on defeat for England Under-21s against their German equivalents:
So often when England and Germany collide, the narrative ends with a painful penalty shootout but the manner of this last-gasp defeat was a different kind of heartbreak. With Kyle Walker-Peters grounded after a clash of heads during a stoppage-time corner, Germany ignored England’s raised hands and snatched a winner, with Felix Uduokhai firing home unmarked inside the box after collecting Benjamin Henrichs’ cross.
It meant Aidy Boothroyd’s England tasted defeat for the first time in 20 matches, since June 2017, when Germany won on penalties at the European Championship they went on to win. For so long it appeared Dominic Solanke’s first goal at the ground he now calls home would be sufficient to extend England’s unbeaten run after cancelling out Mahmoud Dahoud’s opener. Germany will defend their crown in Italy and San Marino this summer, but this suave England side will not be far behind them.
Much more here:
Here’s Paul Doyle’s report on that game:
Republic of Ireland fans came to this match armed with tennis balls and hope. They threw the former in anger but did not have to let go of the latter, because Mick McCarthy’s team delivered with style. Conor Hourihane’s wonderful goal from a free-kick ensured Ireland got three points to reward a highly encouraging performance. True, Darren Randolph had to make two exceptional saves to preserve Ireland’s lead but the home team’s display was brighter than at any point in the recent past. Suddenly the future does not look so bleak.
Much more here:
Here’s Mick McCarthy on Ireland’s win over Georgia:
On Saturday I loved the national anthem, I loved the goal and I loved the final whistle. We’ve had a 1-0 win tonight of a different ilk. We could have put two or three past them. I think we negated their style of play for most of the game, the lads have worked an unbelievable shift, and the lads have played some unbelievable football. We created opportunities, even if we didn’t take them.
Updated
Quagliarella has revealed that Jorginho and Bonucci were Italy’s designated penalty-takers, but that they allowed him to take two of them because they’re nice.
Here’s a Press Association report on Italy’s comfortable victory over Liechtenstein:
Italy posted a second successive win at the start of their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign by brushing aside Liechtenstein 6-0 in Parma.
Fabio Quagliarella became Italy’s oldest international goalscorer at 36 when he converted the first of two penalties.
Liechtenstein played the second half with 10 men after Daniel Kaufmann was sent off for conceding the second spot-kick, but Italy had already inflicted too much damage as Quagliarella’s successful conversion made it 4-0.
Stefano Sensi and Marco Verratti had set the Azzurri on their way, while Juventus star Moise Kean added a fifth 20 minutes from time and debutant Leonardo Pavoletti completed the scoring.
Italy manager Roberto Mancini made seven changes, including a senior debut for Atalanta defender Gianluca Mancini, while Quagliarella made his first Azzurri start since 2010.
And Italy, fresh from defeating Finland 2-0 in their opening qualifying game, never looked back after Sassuolo’s Sensi opened their account with a powerful header after 17 minutes.
Liechtenstein, ranked 181st in the world and with just two wins from their last 31 games, continued to find themselves under pressure as Verratti fired a shot just over the bar.
But the Paris St Germain player was not to be denied 14 minutes before half-time when he beat a number of defenders before finding the target for a superb solo goal.
And before Liechtenstein could regroup, they fell further behind, conceding a 35th-minute penalty that Quagliarella converted. It meant 18 successive Italy goals had been scored by different players, a run stretching back to June 2017.
Nicolas Hasler conceded the penalty for handball, but the visitors did not learn their lesson and gave away another spot-kick during the dying seconds of a one-sided half.
This time, Kaufmann was the culprit - although the ball seemed to hit his shoulder - and was sent off while Quagliarella once again found the net, making it 4-0.
The game won, Italy cruised through the second period as Kean and Pavoletti sealed an emphatic success.
A remarkably remarkable night of qualifying football, that. Two phenomenal 3-3 draws in Switzerland and Norway, while six goals were less evenly shared in Italy but the identity of the people who scored the Italians’ half-dozen were interesting enough to make up for it. And the Republic of Ireland secured their second 1-0 win in a row and, helped by the Swiss draw, top Group D tonight!
Updated
And that is the last goal of the night! Final whistles have been blown, and it’s all over!
GOAL! Switzerland 3-3 Denmark!
They’ve only gone and done it! Denmark, 3-0 down with six minutes to play, snatch an equaliser in stoppage time, flinging players into the penalty area and then sending the ball in after them, and Dalsgaard nods it in!
Updated
GOAL! Norway 3-3 Sweden!
Kamara heads in a corner in the seventh minute of stoppage time, and having been 2-0 up and then 3-2 down, Norway have snatched a point!
Updated
GOAL! Czech Republic 1-3 Brazil!
Jesus completes a lovely team move, with the aid of a backheel and a rebound, after his initial shot was saved!
GOAL! Norway 2-3 Sweden !
In the first minute of stoppage time Sweden, two goals down with 20 minutes to play, take the lead! A cross from the right hits Robin Quaison’s thigh and flies in!
GOAL! Switzerland 3-2 Denmark!
There are definitely some jitters now! Christian Gytkjaer taps in after the Swiss defence falls apart, and that’s two goals in two minutes, with two minutes still to play!
GOAL! Switzerland 3-1 Denmark!
The Swiss thought they had this one safely banked, but Zanka has just headed in from a right-wing free-kick, and maybe there’s still time for a few jitters!
GOAL! Norway 2 Sweden 2!
Another killer comeback is complete! Robin Quaison brings Sweden level, in the 86th minute!
Georgia have just hit the post against the Republic of Ireland, with a tasty shot from the edge of the area! It was more of a clip than a hit, to be fair, but still, close.
GOAL! Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-2 Greece!
Greece complete a stunning second-half comeback against 10-man Bosnia! Dimitrios Kolovos with a great header to equalise, with six minutes remaining!
GOAL! Czech Republic 1-2 Brazil!
Gabriel Jesus gives Brazil in the lead, converting at the far post after being picked out by a low cross from the left!
Updated
GOAL! Switzerland 3-0 Denmark!
That’s game, set and match for Switzerland, Breel Embolo hooking the ball unconvincingly goalwards, Schmeichel pushing it towards the post and a defender rushing in to attempt a goal-line clearance, accidentally stand on the ball, fall over and let it roll over the line!
GOAL! Italy 6-0 Liechtenstein!
Leonardo Pavoletti, a 30-year-old Cagliari striker making his international debut, comes off the bench to plunder a sixth for Italy, tapping in on the line after his own header was saved in the 76th minute.
I’ve now seen Xhaka’s goal for Switzerland and it is everything you would hope a Granit Xhaka goal to be: a swerving, violent long-range smash into the roof of the net.
GOAL! Norway 2-1 Sweden!
Sweden win a penalty, and though the spot-kick is well saved by the goalkeeper, Viktor Claesson volleys in the rebound!
GOAL! Malta 0-2 Spain!
A second goal of the night for Spain, and for Alvaro Morata!
Updated
GOAL! Malta 0-2 Spain!
A second goal of the night for Spain, and for Alvaro Morata!
GOAL! Italy 5-0 Liechtenstein!
Now Quagliarella, Italy’s oldest ever goalscorer, lays on a goal for their second-youngest, Moise Kean! It’s 5-0, in the 70th minute.
GOAL! Switzerland 2-0 Denmark!
Granit Xhaka doubles the Swiss lead against Denmark, in the 66th minute!
Updated
GOAL! Romania 4-1 Faroe Islands!
It looked like George Puscas slightly miskicked this, but I could be being harsh. Whatever, the ball curled and dipped right into the top corner, from 20 yards!
GOAL! Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-1 Greece!
It’s up for grabs now! I’m 98% certain that the referee was fooled by a ludicrous dive here, but he points to the spot and Kostas Fortounis converts! And Miralem Pjanic gets sent off a minute later!
Updated
GOAL! Norway 2-0 Sweden!
Joshua King nods home a right-wing cross, and there’s no quibbling about that one!
Updated
Today we have learned that the Spanish for “oooh” is “uuuyy”, and now that the Portuguese for “oooh” is “uuuuuuh”. This extremely useful information is yours, for nothing. No charge.
2º TEMPO - 15 minutos: Uuuuuuuh! Coutinho finaliza rasteiro e o goleiro adversário faz excelente defesa.
— CBF Futebol (@CBF_Futebol) March 26, 2019
🇧🇷 1-1 🇨🇿 / #BRAxCZE #GigantesPorNatureza
The Republic of Ireland have also had a goal disallowed or offside, Hendrick the disappointed player.
Jon has another update from Switzerland v Denmark. It’s short and to the point. “Denmark just had a Goal from Poulson rightly disallowed for narrowly offside,” he says. So, you’re up to date.
True fact! Fabio Quagliarella’s second goal against Liechtenstein ends a run of 18 successive Italy goals, over getting on for two years, which were scored by 18 different players with no repeats.
GOAL! Morocco 0-1 Argentina
A goal in Tangiers! I don’t know much about it, except that Angel Correa scored it in the 83rd minute.
GOAL! Czech Republic 1-1 Brazil!
Roberto Firmino has equalised for Brazil against the Czechs, seizing on a terrible back-pass (credit to Richarlison for pressuring the defender into a rash decision) and finding himself with an easy finish!
The players are back out and ready to get their games restarted (except in Ireland, which had lots of first-half stoppage time because of tennis balls).
Updated
It seems that Norway goal should have been disallowed:
The offside call for the Norway goal is one of those awkward ones where the keeper is ahead of the last outfield player, but for anyone with a grasp of the rule (which you'd hope officials have) it's obvious. He's a metre offside.
— Lee Roden (@LeeRoden89) March 26, 2019
Half-time reading:
It’s also half-time in Ireland, and the Republic lead 1-0, though they needed an excellent save from Randolph a couple of minutes before the break to maintain their lead.
GOAL! Italy 4-0 Liechtenstein!
Another handball on the line, another penalty, another goal for Fabio Quagliarella! Plus Liechtenstein’s No4 has been sent off! And that’s the last meaningful action of the half.
GOAL! Norway 1-0 Sweden
A cross from the right, a flick-on from Bjorn Johnsen in the middle, and the ball is chested down by, er, another Norwegian at the back post and sent rolling goalwards at an astonishingly slow pace. It rolls gently past the goalkeeper, trundles slowly behind a wrong-footed defender, and is tapped in by Johnsen, about a foot from the line! Norway have a 41st-minute lead!
Updated
Nice stat, this:
Saturday: Moise Kean becomes the second youngest goalscorer in Italy's history 👶🇮🇹
— Goal (@goal) March 26, 2019
Tuesday: Fabio Quagliarella becomes the oldest goalscorer in Italy's history 👴🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/oBst4hck2y
GOAL! Romania 3-1 Faroe Islands!
Weak goals at both ends in this one. This time the referee spots a tiny microtug on a Faroe shirt and points to the spot. Viljormur Davidsen tucks away the penalty!
GOAL! Czech Republic 1-0 Brazil
In today’s other friendly, a strong Brazil team is taking on the Czech Republic side thrashed by England just last Friday, and have just gone behind to David Pavelka’s 37th-minute goal!
Updated
GOAL! Romania 3-0 Faroe Islands
This one’s rubbish too. A free kick is curled in from the right, headed on at the far post and then nudged in by Claudiu Keseru from a yard out. The Faroes aren’t really up for defending tonight.
GOAL! Republic of Ireland 1-0 Georgia!
After a lengthy delay while Ireland prepare their free-kick and stewards clear tennis balls from the pitch, Conor Hourihane curls in a beauty!
Updated
GOAL! Italy 3-0 Liechtenstein!
He’s only gone and scored! Theree’s a handball on the line, and Fabio Quagliarella scores from the spot!
In the Ireland game, McGoldrick goes down just outside the area after spinning away from his marker. The fans bay for a red card, but the referee brings out a yellow. I’m not sure there was actually a foul.
GOAL! Italy 2-0 Liechtenstein!
This is, according to Italy’s own Twitter account, “an absolute beauty” that’s “curled into the far corner with his right foot! by Marco Verratti!
GOAL! Romania 2-0 Faroe Islands!
That’s two in three minutes for Romania! The defending is not very convincing at any stage here, culminating in one defender hitting a rubbish, low clearance straight into another defender, off whom it rebounds to Claudiu Keseru, and he’s got an easy finish!
GOAL! Malta 0-1 Spain!
Alvaro Morata has broken Malta’s resistance!
Updated
GOAL! Romania 1-0 Faroe Islands
Ciprian Deac volleys a cross from the left straight into a defender, but the ball rebounds right back to him, and this time he makes no mistake!
I’ve seen the Switzerland goal now, though only from one unhelpful angle. There may well have been an arm involved, and the Denmark players certainly seemed convinced.
GOAL! Switzerland 1-0 Denmark
Remo Freuler has given Switzerland the lead over Denmark. Someone called Jon has emailed to say they “scored with some help from an upper arm”.
Updated
Charles Antaki seems to be watching the action in Malta: “The Maltese crowd earning world-wide respect & admiration for their taste, by their continuous hearty booing of Sergio Ramos.”
An update from Leo Addor: “HT in Tangiers 0-0. 28 fouls (14 each team), 4 Yellow cards (3 MOR- 1 ARG), about 5 near-brawls. Least friendly friendly I’ve seen in a while.” As a general rule when looking for an entertaining game of football I think goals are ideal, but failing that multiple near-brawls are probably the next best thing.
Spain and Malta remain deadlocked, though the Spaniards (according to their own Twitter feed) have just had their first genuine chance.
¡¡UUUUYYY!! ¡Primera ocasión clara para España! La tuvo Saúl Ñíguez, pero se le fue por encima.
— Selección Española de Fútbol (@SeFutbol) March 26, 2019
🇲🇹🆚🇪🇸 | 0-0 | 17' | #UnidosPorUnRETO
GOAL! Italy 1-0 Liechtenstein!
Stefano Sensi has put Italy ahead against Liechtenstein! It’s a cross from the left, and a lovely header into the top, near corner from just outside the six-yard box!
Updated
GOAL! Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 Greece!
Miralem Pjanic has doubled Bosnia’s lead over the Greeks with a long-range screamer!
In tonight’s random League One match, Doncaster are now two up against Bristol Rovers, James Coppinger with his second of the game in the 12th minute.
Updated
Ireland should have taken the lead! Hourihane runs with the ball deep into Georgia’s half, but instead of playing in a better-placed team-mate to his right he has a pop himself from just outside the penalty area, and it’s saved.
GOAL! Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-0 Greece
Bosnia take a 10th-minute lead against Greece, Edin Visca running onto the ball as a corner is pulled back across the edge of the area, and then pouncing on the rebound after his initial effort is blocked.
Updated
36-year-old Fabio Quagliarella is making his first international start since 2010, and has had Italy’s first meaningful shot in their game against Liechtenstein, but failed to beat Buchal.
Games got under way some five minutes ago, and as yet I have no goals to tell you about.
There’s also an England Under-21 international happening in Bournemouth, pitting England against Germany. Here are the teams for that one. I promise I’ll stop posting teams now:
England Under-21: Henderson, Dowell, Foden, Davies, Fry, Clarke-Salter, Walker-Peters, Barnes, Sessegnon, Solanke, Gray. Subs: Gunn, Kenny, Dasilva, Tomori, Kelly, Lookman, Maddison, Calvert-Lewin, Konsa, Choudhury, Woodman.
Germany Under-21: Muller, Baumgartl, Uduokhai, Henrichs, Mittelstadt, Dahoud, Maier, Oztunali, Neuhaus, Amiri, Waldschmidt. Subs: Nicolas, Klunter, Anton, Sabiri, Iyoha, Johannes Eggestein, Lowen, Stenzel, Richter, Nmecha, Brodersen.
An international classic! The U21 friendly is underway ⚽
— Germany (@DFB_Team_EN) March 26, 2019
🏴 #ENGGER 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/qlE9q4ieHj
Here’s Mick McCarthy, whose team is currently lined up, listening to the Georgian anthem:
We’ll be playing 4-3-3. Glenn will be in the middle of them, hopefully not just blocking but starting the attack. We’ll be pressing them. I never send a team out to sit back. We may be pinned back from time to time, but we always set out to press the opposition.
Updated
“It’s getting spicy in Tangiers,” writes Leo Addor, who is watching Morocco v Argentina. “About 20 minutes in, lots of fouls, including 2 near-brawls, and some clueless twit in the crowd keeps shining a green laser pointer near the play... Not much football happening so far.”
Here are the teams, for the sake of completeness:
Morocco: Bounou, Benatia, Hakimi, Mazraoui, Saiss, Belhanda, Boussoufa, da Costa, Boufal, Boutaib, El Ahmadi. Subs: Mohamedi, El Haddad, Fajr, Ait Bennasser, Abdelhamid, Baadi, Bourabia, El Karti, Idrissi, Sofyan Amrabat, Alioui.
Argentina: Andrada, Montiel, Pezzella, Kannemann, Acuna, Pereyra, Paredes, Rodriguez, De Paul, Dybala, Lautaro Martinez. Subs: Marchesin, Tagliafico, Mercado, Benedetto, Correa, Marcone, Lanzini, Zaracho, Lo Celso, Suarez, Foyth, Musso.
“My reactions to reading the lineup info of the Ireland-Georgia match,” says Peter Oh, “are 1) Ireland has lots of OK players, 2) Georgia has lots of “K” players, and 3) the referee’s name has eight (!) umlauts in it!(*) Simply stunning.”
We covered umlauts in the Knowledge not too long ago, and failed to find a footballer with more than three, so this is history in the making right here (though obviously he’s a referee).
* Obviously there are only eight umlauts if each dot is counted separately. Which they aren’t.
Updated
Bosnia-Herzegovina v Greece teams!
Bosnia-Herzegovina: Sehic, Bicakcic, Sunjic, Zukanovic, Kolasinac, Pjanic, Besic, Cimirot, Visca, Dzeko, Duljevic. Subs: Kjosevski, Civic, Todorovic, Memisevic, Gojak, Kodro, Krunic, Zakaric, Milosevic, Piric.
Greece: Vlachodimos, Bakakis, Papastathopoulos, Siovas, Koutris, Kourbelis, Zeca, Bouchalakis, Fortounis, Donis, Samaris. Subs: Paschalakis, Valerianos, Risvanis, Siopis, Koulouris, Durmishaj, Bakasetas, Masouras, Kolovos, Mavrias, Kolovetsios, Barkas.
Referee: Danny Makkelie (Holland).
Republic of Ireland v Georgia teams!
Rep of Ireland: Randolph, Coleman, Duffy, Keogh, Stevens, Hourihane, Hendrick, Whelan, Brady, McGoldrick, McClean. Subs: Westwood, Doherty, Maguire, Byrne, ’Brien, Egan, Collins,Judge, Cullen, Long, Arter, Travers.
Georgia: Loria, Kakabadze, Khocholava, Kverkvelia, Kashia, Kiteishvili, Kvekveskiri, Kankava, Gvilia, Arveladze, Kvilitaia. Subs: Kvaskhvadze, Qazaishvili, Okriashvili, Katcharava, Parunashvili, Kharabadze, Merebashvili, Lobjanidze, Tchanturishvili, Jigauri, Navalovski, Makaridze.
Referee: Serdar Gözübüyük (Netherlands).
Updated
Norway v Sweden teams!
Norway: Jarstein, Elabdellaoui, Nordtveit, Ajer, Aleesami, Odegaard, Selnaes, Henriksen, Mohamed Elyounoussi, Johnsen, King. Subs: Bratveit, Hovland, Rosted, Johansen, Sorloth, Tarik Elyounoussi, Fossum, Daehli, Svensson, Linnes, Kamara, Grytebust.
Sweden: Olsen, Krafth, Helander, Granqvist, Augustinsson, Sebastian Larsson, Ekdal, Olsson, Claesson, Quaison, Berg. Subs: Johnsson, Lustig, Fransson, Isak, Svensson, Tinnerholm, Sam Larsson, Papagiannopoulos, Andersson, Durmaz, Sema, Nordfeldt.
Referee: Gianluca Rocchi (Italy).
Malta v Spain teams!
Malta: Bonello, Mbong, Zach Muscat, Caruana, Borg, Zerafa, Mintoff, Fenech, Guillaumier, Corbalan, Nwoko. Subs: Nicholas Vella, Micallef, Leighton Grech, Mifsud, Rowen Muscat, Dunstan Vella, Montebello, Camilleri, Kristensen, Jake Grech, Nicky Muscat, Haber.
Spain: Arrizabalaga, Sergi Roberto, Sergio Ramos, Hermoso, Gaya, Canales, Rodri, Saul, Asensio, Morata, Bernat. Subs: de Gea, Sergi Gomez, Martinez, Busquets, Ceballos, Rodrigo, Mata, Jordi Alba, Muniain, Parejo, Jesus Navas, Pau Lopez.
Referee: Andrew Dallas (Scotland).
The Press Association haven’t yet filed the Republic of Ireland teams, but they have filed their reaction to those teams:
Mick McCarthy handed Glenn Whelan a return to the Republic of Ireland team for Tuesday night’s Euro 2020 qualifier against Georgia. The Aston Villa midfielder won his 86th senior cap as he and Robbie Brady replaced Matt Doherty and Sean Maguire following Saturday night’s 1-0 win in Gibraltar with central defender Shane Duffy keeping his place after shaking off an ankle injury.
That’s all. Short and sweet, I’m sure you’ll agree.
Italy v Liechtenstein teams!
Italy: Sirigu, Mancini, Bonucci, Romagnoli, Spinazzola, Sensi, Jorginho, Verratti, Politano, Quagliarella, Kean. Subs: Cragno, Izzo, Cristante, Biraghi, Pavoletti, Bernardeschi, Grifo, Immobile, Barella, Lasagna, Zaniolo, Donnarumma.
Liechtenstein: Benjamin Buchel, Wolfinger, Kaufmann, Hofer, Goppel, Sele, Polverino, Wieser, Kuhne, Hasler, Salanovic. Subs: Hobi, Brandle, Malin, Ospelt, Martin Buchel, Meier, Yildiz, Eberle, Gubser, Frick, Rechsteiner, Majer.
Referee: Kirill Levnikov (Russia).
Romania v Faroe Islands teams!
Romania: Tatarusanu, Benzar, Grigore, Moti, Bancu, Deac, Stanciu, Marin, Chipciu, Puscas, Keseru. Subs: Pantilimon, Nedelcearu, Baluta, Manea, Hagi, Cicaldau, Anton, Ivan, Nistor, Sapunaru, Man, Nita.
Faroe Islands: Nielsen, Rolantsson, Gregersen, Faero, Viljormur Davidsen, Bartalsstovu, Hendriksson, Vatnsdal, Rene Joensen, Hansson, Olsen. Subs: Gestsson, Egilsson, Wardum, Solvi Vatnhamar, Baldvinsson, Frederiksberg, Thomsen, Hansen.
Referee: Halil Meler (Turkey).
Switzerland v Denmark teams!
Switzerland: Sommer, Mbabu, Elvedi, Akanji, Rodriguez, Zakaria, Xhaka, Freuler, Embolo, Ajeti, Zuber. Subs: Mvogo, Lichtsteiner, Benito, Lang, Steffen, Sow, Fassnacht, Mehmedi, Gavranovic, Klose, Omlin.
Denmark: Schmeichel, Dalsgaard, Kjaer, Mathias Zanka Jorgensen, Larsen, Schone, Eriksen, Delaney, Poulsen, Nicolai Jorgensen, Braithwaite. Subs: Lossl, Ankersen, Andersen, Knudsen, Christensen, Bruun Larsen, Dolberg, Billing, Lerager, Gytkjaer, Hojbjerg, Ronnow.
Referee: Damir Skomina (Slovenia).
The Republic of Ireland have named their team. Full line-ups to follow shortly:
Mick McCarthy has named his team for tonight's @UEFAEURO game against Georgia#IRLGEO #COYBIG #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/dqs4Evbgsf
— FAIreland ⚽️🇮🇪 (@FAIreland) March 26, 2019
Hello world!
Tonight we have seven 7.45pm kick-offs to keep an eye on. Here is a list of those games, with something to say about each of them:
Bosnia-Herzegovina v Greece
Robert Prosinecki, Bosnia’s coach, says: “When we are ready and fit, as we are now, it’s hard to win against us.” This is true: they have lost only two of their last 14 games (and they probably weren’t ready and fit for those ones). “I’m sure there will be a good atmosphere. It will not be easy, but we will be motivated. This will be a tactical, and very intense game.”
Italy v Liechtenstein
Never mind winning, just being on the same pitch as Italy is an honour for Liechtenstein. “It does not matter if we score or not It’s an honour for us to face the Azzurri,” says Helgi Kolvidsson. This is a good attitude, because they are going to lose.
Switzerland v Denmark
Switzerland have won 11 of their last 12 competitive home games (the last team to beat them in Switzerland? England, obviously). This is Denmark’s first game in qualifying; the Swiss beat Georgia 2-0 at the weekend. “I hope they are tired after playing on an artificial surface in Tbilisi and having such a long journey home,” said the Danes’ head coach, Age Hareide.
Malta v Spain
Malta’s home games against Spain have tended to have perhaps surprisingly sober scorelines: 2-3, 0-2 and 0-3. In Spain however they’ve lost 12-1, 4-0 and 4-0.
Norway v Sweden
Norway’s last 10 home results: WDDWWWWWWW. The third of those results was against Sweden in a friendly in June 2017.
Republic of Ireland v Georgia
The referee for this game, Holland’s Serdar Gözübüyük, has an unusual number of umlauts. This is his first European qualifier, and his first game in charge of either of these teams.
Romania v Faroe Islands
The Faroes’ last seven away results: LDLLLLDL. They did win two away games in 2016, though.
Back to the Republic, then, and here’s Vladimir Weiss on Georgia’s task. Weiss sounds like an interesting chap. He’s the father of the former Manchester City player Vladimir Weiss, and the son of the former Czech international Vladimir Weiss. It seems that Vladimir Weisses inherit good football genes and bad original-naming genes. He is also a big fan of Martin O’Neill, who he says is “a lovely, lovely guy. I love him so much and I wish him all the best at his club”. Anyway, as I was saying, here’s Vladimir Weiss on Georgia’s task against the Republic:
We have a chance next year to do something amazing for Georgia football, but we must play now at this moment. Two teams go through and we will try to do it also in the group, which would be something unbelievable. But it’s not easy. The favourite in the group is of course Switzerland, then Ireland and Denmark and we and Gibraltar, we will try to do it. Sometimes in life, miracles happen. It won’t be an easy game, but we want to win and we will try to do our best.
Anyway, and most importantly, hello. Let’s hope for some fun times, eh?
