[國際賽]世界盃歐洲區外圍賽，冰島取得I組首名歷史性晉身決賽周，威爾斯主場以0:1不敵愛爾蘭無緣晉級 [復制鏈接]

Iceland 2-0 Kosovo: Iceland become smallest World Cup finals side

Last Updated: 09/10/17 10:55pm



Iceland became the smallest country to qualify for the World Cup when they beat Kosovo 2-0 on Monday to book a place at their first finals in Russia next year as winners of Group I.

Gylfi Sigurdsson settled their nerves with a superbly-taken goal five minutes before half-time as Iceland proved that their run to the 2016 European Championship quarter-finals, which included wins over Austria and England, was no fluke.

Sigurdsson also set up the second for Johann Gudmundsson midway through the second half as Iceland completed the campaign by winning their final three games without conceding a goal.

It was a remarkable achievement for a country which has a population of approximately 350,000. The previous smallest country to have reached the finals was Trinidad & Tobago in 2006, with 1.3 million people.

Coached by part-time dentist Heimir Hallgrimsson, Iceland finished the group with 22 points from their 10 games.

Iceland's starting line-up included four players based in England's second tier, two from the English Premier League, one from Italy's Serie A and one each from the top flights of Denmark, Sweden, Scotland and Russia.

An emphatic 3-0 win in Turkey on Friday had sent Iceland top of the group for the final match, and although they struggled to impose themselves against the group's bottom side, they eventually came through with a win, before fireworks at the final whistle.

http://www.skysports.com/football/iceland-vs-kosovo/report/360059

Wales 0-1 Republic of Ireland: James McClean fires visitors into World Cup play-offs

Last Updated: 09/10/17 11:10pm



James McClean fired Republic of Ireland into the World Cup qualifying play-offs and dumped Wales out in the process with a 1-0 win in Cardiff.

In a winner-takes-all clash for the runners-up spot in Group D behind Serbia, McClean hammered home just after half-time as Ireland put on a defensive masterclass to deny the 2016 European Championship semi-finalists, who had not lost at home in four years.

The result means Gareth Bale, who was missing through injury, and his team-mates will spend a summer at home while Ireland can look forward to a two-legged play-off for a place in Russia.

Martin O'Neill's side find out their opponents next Tuesday.

In a cup final atmosphere, the game rarely sparked into life with both sets of players keen to stay in their respective shapes.

Hal Robson-Kanu headed over a presentable chance from a Joe Ledley corner early on, but they rarely tested a disciplined back four shielded by skipper David Meyler.

The hosts suffered a blow 10 minutes before the break when Allen was caught in a sandwich of Meyler and McClean and forced to leave the field.

Darren Randolph tipped over Robson-Kanu's diving header just after the break before the key moment of the game came on 57 minutes.

Wales skipper Ashley Williams lost possession on the edge of his penalty area and Jeff Hendrick crossed for McClean to slam home his fourth goal of the campaign.

There was plenty of time for Wales to stage a rally, but Ireland, who had less than 30 per cent possession, soaked up all the pressure and were in no mood for budging.

Player ratings

Wales: Hennessey (5), Gunter (6), Davies (6), A Williams (5), Chester (6), Allen (6), Ledley (6), Ramsey (6), King (6), Lawrence (6), Robson-Kanu (6)

Subs: Vokes (6), Williams (6), Woodburn (6)

Away Team: Randolph (7), Christie (6), Clark (8), Arter (6), Duffy (8), Hendrick (8), McClean (8), Ward (7), Meyler (8), Brady (7), Murphy (6)

Subs: Long (6), Whelan (6)

Man of the match: James McClean

http://www.skysports.com/football/wales-vs-rep-ire/350232

不敵愛爾蘭
威爾斯 巴利緣盡決賽周





威爾斯周一晚在2018俄羅斯世界盃歐洲區D組外圍賽最後一輪賽事，主場以0:1不敵愛爾蘭，完成全部十輪世盃外後，在小組只排第3位，肯定無緣進軍明年夏天的世盃決賽周。

賽前領先愛爾蘭一分的威爾斯，今仗在主場必須贏波才能獲取附加賽的資格，偏偏球隊卻一分未得，最終斷送出線機會。威爾斯主力加里夫巴利因為早前代表皇家馬德里時小腿受傷，至今仍在養傷當中，今仗未有上陣。主隊缺乏了這位銀河艦隊快馬下，今仗表現亦不算突出，全場空有71%控球率，但16次射門僅得四次中框，相反愛爾蘭射門貴精不貴多，全場只有兩次中框就取得士哥。
今仗唯一入球在57分鐘出現，威爾斯隊長艾殊利威廉斯在禁區邊緣失去皮球，愛爾蘭中場軒迪克得球後傳中，效力西布朗的占士麥堅恩接應射入，取得個人在今屆世盃外的第四個入球的同時，更助愛爾蘭取得附加賽資格。
值得留意是，今仗僅是威爾斯過去22場外圍賽中第二次輸波，但這場敗仗卻斷送了球隊踢入俄羅斯世盃決賽周的希望。威爾斯要自1958年後再次亮相世盃決賽周的夢想，最少要等五年後的2020卡塔爾世界盃，屆時巴利將已經32歲，是否仍然為威爾斯效力亦屬未知數。
D組其餘賽事，塞爾維亞主場以1:0小勝格魯吉亞，以小組首名踢入決賽周；另外奧地利作客亦以1:擊敗摩爾多瓦。

http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/realtime/sports/20171010/57312071

主場挫科索沃
冰島歷史性闖世盃



2018俄羅斯世界盃歐洲區I組外圍賽，冰島在最後一輪賽事主場迎戰科索沃，結果憑兩名外流英超的兩名球員在上、下半場各建一功贏2:0，歷史性取得世界盃決賽周入場券之餘，人口僅得340,000的冰島更成為歷來躋身世盃決賽周最小的國家。

賽前已經排在榜首的冰島今仗亦要全取三分才能篤定以小組首名晉級，可幸是球隊今仗對手僅是實力平平的科索沃。今夏轉投愛華頓的基菲爾施古臣在上半場40分鐘替主隊先開紀錄，冰島半場領先一球。易邊後戰至68分鐘，般尼中場貝治古蒙臣接應基菲爾施古臣的傳送，在門前射成2:0，冰島亦是憑這兩個入球在主場擊敗科索沃，自1958瑞典世界盃首度嘗試參賽以來，歷經合共13次外圍賽，終於歷史性取得世盃決賽周入場券。
同組其他賽果，克羅地亞作客以2:0擊敗烏克蘭，以小組次名取得附加賽的資格；另外芬蘭在主場與土耳其賽和2:2。

http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/realtime/sports/20171010/57312131

狂牛作客贏波
藍軍鎖定附加賽種籽資格



2018俄羅斯世界盃歐洲區G組外圍賽，早已分別奪得決賽周入場券的西班牙，以及已經拿下附加賽資格的意大利，在最後一輪世盃外不約而同作客贏波，以一場勝仗為整個世盃外旅程作結。

曾經贏得2010年世界盃冠軍的西班牙雖然已經奪得決賽周入場券，但今仗仍希望全取三分，以增加球隊在明年夏天決賽周成為八支種籽隊之一的機會。儘管狂牛兵團今仗的正選陣容比對上周五3:0擊敗阿爾巴尼亞時是作出了十個調動，且後衛碧基及中場大衛施華亦要停賽，但西班牙始終憑皇家蘇斯達中場伊拿拉文迪在76分鐘的入球，以1:0小勝早以出線無望的以色列。
同樣已經鎖定一個附加賽席位的意大利，則憑國際米蘭中場簡達華在完場前17分鐘的入球，作客以一球力克阿爾巴尼亞。意大利全取三分後亦肯定會在下月的兩回合附加賽獲列為其中一支種籽隊；2018俄羅斯世界盃歐洲區附加賽將於下周二（17日）在假國際足協（FIFA）在瑞士的總部進行抽籤。
同組另一場賽事，早已出線無望的馬其頓在主場以4:0大破魚腩部隊列支敦士登，後者十場世盃外全數輸波，累積失39球而僅入一球。

http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/realtime/sports/20171010/57312137

冰島

Wales最後關頭冇bale，可惜

#WorldCup line-up, so far:

🇷🇺RUS
🇧🇷BRA
🇮🇷IRN
🇯🇵JPN
🇲🇽MEX
🇧🇪BEL
🇰🇷KOR
🇸🇦KSA
🇩🇪GER
🦁ENG
🇪🇸ESP
🇳🇬NGA
🇨🇷CRC
🇵🇱POL
🇪🇬EGY
🇮🇸ISL
🇷🇸SRB

17/32 👌🏆

今屇唔會美斯，朗朗，巴利一齊缺席掛

ashley williams今季嚴重趺watt

幾場球會同國家隊既輸波都關佢事

無威爾斯

【now.com體育】威爾斯痛失決賽周參賽權後，主帥基斯高文直言大軍會從失敗中學習，他大方祝福對手，同時拒絕評論前程。

「我認為己隊主導了上半場，早知愛爾蘭有一套作戰計劃，他們執行得很好。我的球員已傾盡全力，但到最後還是不足夠。我們早知最後4仗可能需要全勝，結果贏出3仗，就是過不了最後障礙。」基斯高文賽後失望地說：「這令我們感到有點兒傷心，但會從輸波中學習，定會從今夜學習。」

他沒有評論自己的去留：「現在我所想就是球員在更衣室的模樣，以及他們的失望心情。他們極度傷心但應該非常自豪。」

「祝奧尼爾好運，他幹了無比出色的工作，我希望他在世界盃有好表現。」他續說。

【now.com體育】冰島去年夏天在歐國盃神話延續，在周一鎖定成為明夏世界盃決賽周一份子，並成為賽事歷來人口最少的國家或地區。

歐洲小國冰島周一主場以2:0擊敗科索沃後，10戰得22分，以2分之微壓倒同日亦贏波的克羅地亞，以I組首名身份直接晉身決賽周，是該國歷來首次角逐這項大賽。由於冰島人口只有逾33萬，是世盃決賽周史上首個人口少於100萬的競逐的國家或地區。

主帥賀基臣（Heimir Hallgrimsson）坦言經過去年歐國盃，爆冷擊敗英格蘭殺入8強創造神話後，擔心球員難再創奇蹟：「最艱難之處就是經過在法國的大派對後，繼續走下去。成功之路未盡，那是邁向終極的長遠旅程。」

世界盃決賽周歷來人口最少國家/地區
國家/地區    人口
冰島    約33.3萬
千里達    約137萬
北愛爾蘭    約185萬
斯洛文尼亞    約208萬
牙買加    約289萬