Recap: EURO 2020 – Matchday 8, October 13

Matchday 8 in UEFA EURO 2020 Qualifiers took place on Sunday with teams going head-to-head in the race to Europe on Sunday.

Read: Recap: EURO 2020 – Matchday 7, October 12

Kazakhstan vs Belgium (0–2)

Related image
Belgium expectedly breeze past Kazakhstan in their Matchday 8 EURO 2020 bout (Image: Marca).

First half

The first contentious moment came in the 2nd minute when a foul from Kazakhstan’s Dmitriy Shomko won Michy Batshuayi, and Belgium, a free kick on the right wing. Moments later, players on either side were caught off-side from through ball passes as they tried to push forward. Kazakhstan then missed a right-footed shot from the right side of the box two minutes later.

Following another Belgium off-side in the 21st minute, Batshuayi finally shot the Belgians in front with a left-footed strike from close range, coming in from a low cross from Leicester midfielder Dennis Praet. Kazakhstan’s Georgiy Zhukov was shown the yellow card for a bad foul in the 36th, before halftime was called in with Belgium still a goal in front.

Related image
Already-qualified Belgium continued their flawless record in Euro 2020 qualifying with a routine 2–0 win at eliminated Kazakhstan in Group I.

Second half

Back onto the field after the break, Belgium were caught offside as Eden Hazard tried a through ball to Batshuayi. Belgium eventually got their second goal when Thomas Meunier latched onto a shot from the right side of the box, and settled it into the bottom left corner of the Kazakhs’ goal in the 53rd minute.

Belgium missed a few more chances before Hazard won a free kick on the right wing in the 71st minute, which Kazakh shot stopper, Dmytro Nepogodov, stopped in the bottom right corner. There were no more goals on the night, but Belgium ensured their 8th win from as many games in the groups, and will be itching for the 2020 play-offs to get underway in March, for which they had already qualified.

Belarus vs Netherlands (1–2)

Image result for Belarus, Netherlands, euro
Netherlands’ Giliano Wijnaldum, centre, celebrates after scoring against Belarus at the Dinamo Stadium in Minsk (Image: Associated Press).

First half

A quiet opening passage was welcomed and in the 6th minute, Steven Bergwijn of the Netherlands attempted a right-footed shot from outside the box, which went high and wide to the right. Belarusian Ivan Bakhar cocked his right foot from long range on the left and was blocked eight minutes later.

The first goal of the match came in the 32nd minute with Netherlands’ Georginio Wijnaldum pouncing onto a header from the left side of the six yard box and depositing the ball into the top left corner of the Belarus goal. The second came nearly 10 minutes later with Wijnaldum securing his brace courtesy of a right-footed shot from outside the box, which found the top right corner of the net.

Related image
Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum (right) scored twice in the first half as the Dutch beat Belarus 2–1 (Image: Euro Sport).

Second half

Coming back onto the park after the break, Igor Stasevich missed his attempt for Belarus as his right-footed shot from outside the box was close but missed the left corner of the Netherlands’ goal-mouth. Liverpool man Virgil van Dijk won a free kick in the opponents’ defensive half, but the attempt went amiss. Belarus finally pulled one back in the 53rd minute when Stanislav Dragun deposited his header from the centre of the box into the bottom left corner. This was the last of any goals for Belarus on the night to deny them an upset against their more fancied Dutch opponents.

Other results:

Ten-man Germany needed two goals from Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan to help see off Estonia in a 3-0 win.

Northern Ireland remains third in Group C, three points behind both Germany and the Netherlands. Gareth Bale’s excellent equaliser helped Wales to hold 2018 World Cup finalists, Croatia, to a 1-all draw in a bad-tempered contest in Cardiff.

Austria triumphed to a 1–0 win away to Slovenia, and Poland were 2–0 winners at home to North Macedonia. Scotland got a sizzling six unanswered goals past San Marino, while Russia stamped equally emphatic authority over Cyprus with a 5-nil scoreline.