09/02/2021 20:25
Clarín.com
sports
Updated 09/02/2021 20:25
For those who love statistics, this Thursday was a day of rejoicing. Not so for those selected who
wrote down their names in the history books
after their matches on the fourth date of the European Qualifiers for Qatar 2022.
Bittersweet
resulted for
Italy
in a 1-1 draw against Bulgaria that allowed them to reach
35 presentations without defeats
.
Deeply bitter
was
Spain's 2 to 1 defeat against Sweden,
which ended
a 28-year streak without setbacks
in duels corresponding to the World Cup qualification.
Fifty-three days after their victory in the Eurocup final against England at Wembley,
Azzurra were
back in action at the Artemio Franchi stadium in Florence against Bulgaria, an opponent who did not seem destined to complicate their task. Much less when Federico Chiesa advanced to the premises to the 16 minutes of the first time. But Atanas Iliev drew back at 40 and then the team led by Roberto Mancini
did not find the formula
to break a team that clung to the point as if it were a raft in the middle of the sea.
“We had the chances to win, but we were hasty and imprecise.
Equally, I saw the spirit that we had in the Eurocup.
We play our game, in terms of intensity and aggressiveness ”, analyzed captain
Leonardo Bonucci
.
“We did our best until the end to win, but they defended well and made us their only shot on target.
It was one of those games where
if we had played half an hour more, we would not have scored
anyway, "admitted Mancini.
⚫️🇮🇹 |
Chiesa's goal against Bulgaria, what a player we have!
🌟 pic.twitter.com/9ecI3Ulh19
- Juve Pasión (@JuventusLatam) September 2, 2021
Italy let their first points escape in group C, which they command with 10 points and 4 of advantage over Switzerland, their next rival (they will be measured on Sunday in Basel). This tie represented
their 35th straight game without falls
, since they suffered against Portugal 1-0 on September 10, 2018 in the Nations League. Thus, it
equaled the historical record of Spain
, between 2007 and 2009,
and Brazil,
between 1993 and 1996. In the case of
Verdeamarela
, in that period they lost on penalties the final of the 1995 Copa América against Uruguay in Montevideo.
For Spain, the most unpleasant news of the day was not that Italy reached their undefeated record of 35 games, but the 2 to 1 defeat against Sweden in Solna that
complicated their situation in group B.
The debutant Carlos Soler advanced to the
Red
, but Alexander Isak and Viktor Claesson turned the score around for the Scandinavians, who lead the zone
with two points ahead and one game less
than those led by Luis Enrique.
“Our classification is very complicated,
we are not dependent on us
.
But even if we are not in the best situation at the moment, the road is still long, ”captain
Sergio Busquets
tried to console himself
after the misstep.
It took a little longer for his coach to see the positive side: "
It is difficult to be optimistic
, but I have to focus on winning all the games and hope that Sweden fails. Now we are on the wire."
Sweden 🇸🇪 came forward!
Claesson scored 2-1 against Spain 🇪🇸 at 12 'in Q2.
😉 Live the game for the C610 / 1610HD and @DIRECTVGO with @Jfurlanich and @ fabig08. # MasFutbolEnDIRECTV pic.twitter.com/3ZdL7ESAnE
- DIRECTV Sports (@DIRECTVSports) September 2, 2021
The one he suffered in Swedish territory was the first Spanish defeat in the Qualifiers since Denmark, champion of the European Championship in 1992, gave him on March 31,
1993
in Copenhagen with a goal from Flemming Povlsen. At that time, five of the 11 headlines that Luis Enrique presented this Thursday had not been born. And since that setback, the Iberians added
an undefeated 66 games in the World Cup qualification
that was shattered in Solna.
Unlike Italy and Spain, two other heavyweights from the
Old Continent
had a
rewarding
day
.
England
, runner-up in the last Euro,
beat Hungary 4 to 0
at the Puskás Arena in Budapest and leads with a perfect score in group I.
Belgium
, the best team on the planet according to the FIFA ranking,
beat Estonia 5 to 2
in Tallinn and leads in zone E.
After 15 years under the command of Joachim Löw, Germany started the
Hansi Flick
cycle
with a laborious 2-0 victory, with goals from Timo Werner and Leroy Sané, against
Liechtenstein
, the third worst European team according to the FIFA rankings (only beats Gibraltar and San Marino).
⚽️ With this goal from Sané, Germany 🇩🇪 closed Liechtenstein 2-0 🇱🇮 as a visitor to finish second in Group J of the European Qualifiers, one point behind Armenia.
#MasFutbolEnDIRECTV pic.twitter.com/MtDRI1gM0S
- DIRECTV Sports (@DIRECTVSports) September 2, 2021
“We created chances, but our rival defended very well, with 11 players in 16 meters.
I can't blame the team for anything, they tried and put the opponent under pressure, ”analyzed the former Bayern Munich coach.
Midfielder Joshua Kimmich was less condescending to the Liechtensteinian: “I had seen teams defending behind, but
never anything like today
.
It is difficult to evaluate this match or take it as a reference.
It was not a real football game
. "
This victory was not enough for the
Mannschaft to
take command in group J.
The leadership continues to belong to the surprising Armenia
, which drew 0-0 with North Macedonia in Skopje, has 10 points and leads the Teutons by one.
Although there is still a long way to go, both Germany, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands are escorts in their areas.
If they finished in that place, they would have to dispute the playoff that will distribute only three places to the
Qatar
World Cup
among their 12 participants (the 10 seconds in the qualifying groups plus two selected ones classified through the Nations League).
All results for Thursday
B Group
Georgia
0 - 1
Kosovo
Sweden
2 - 1
Spain
Group C
Lithuania
1 - 4
Northern Ireland
Italy
1 - 1
Bulgaria
Group E
Estonia
2 - 5
Belgium
Czech Republic
1 - 0
Belarus
Group I
Andorra
2 - 0
San Marino
Hungary
0 - 4
England
Poland
4 - 1
Albania
Group J
Liechtenstein
0 - 2
Germany
North Macedonia
0 - 0
Armenia
Iceland
0 - 2
Romania
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