[國際賽]威爾斯悶和以色列0-0後最後兩場只需1分即可出線歐國盃決賽周，荷蘭0-3大敗予土耳其後跌落小組第4，出線勢危 [復制鏈接]

Cyprus 0-1 Wales: Gareth Bale's header puts Chris Coleman's side on brink

Last Updated: 04/09/15 12:41am



Gareth Bale’s 82nd-minute header secured a 1-0 victory in Cyprus and put Wales on the brink of their first major tournament since 1958.

The Real Madrid forward - who has now scored six goals in the European Qualifiers - rose highest at the far post to power home Jazz Richards's cross and seal a precious three points.

Chris Coleman's side, who saw a Dave Edwards goal disallowed in the first half, now need only to beat Israel in Cardiff on Sunday to secure their place at France 2016.

Wales had earlier moved above England in the FIFA rankings for the first time and victory in Nicosia stretches their unbeaten run in competitive matches to nine games as they move a step closer to their first European Championships.

Bale left it late in the end but so nearly made an instant impact, bursting through the home defence in the sixth minute before laying the ball off to Ramsey, who curled a shot inches wide.

The visitors, who were without the injured Joe Ledley, thought they should have had a penalty minutes later when Ramsey's cross hits Jason Demetriou's arm in the penalty area, but referee Szymon Marciniak waved play on.

Bale was involved again in the 10th minute, firing a swerving 35-yard free-kick goalwards but though Antonis Georgallides could only parry the ball, full-back Neil Taylor's tame shot on the rebound was straight at the keeper.



Despite Wales' early dominance, Cyprus were looking a threat on the counter-attack and in the 21st minute Nestoras Mitidis was released in behind the Welsh defence, only for Ashley Williams to make the a excellent clearance.

Coleman's men thought they had the breakthrough in the 28th minute but Edwards' header was ruled out because of an alleged push from Hal Robson-Kanu.

Seconds later Bale was through on goal but was denied by a crucial last-ditch challenge from Konstantinos Laifis.

Cyprus were starting to control possession with Wales making some worrying unforced errors as both Andreas Makris and Giorgos Economides fired shots off target.

Wales continued to hold firm at the back and as the game wore on the visitors started to threaten at the other end with Bale's pace causing all sorts of problems.

After a quiet first half for Wayne Hennessey he was called into action immediately after the break as he palmed away Marios Nikolaou's dipping shot.



With just 20 minutes remaining, Coleman threw on Sam Vokes in place of Robson-Kanu and the move nearly paid instant dividends as Bale found the substitute in the box, his shot lacking sufficient power to trouble the keeper.

While a point would have been crucial in Wales bid to reach a first major tournament in 58 years, they continued to press forward as Ramsey fired Taylor's cross goalwards, Georgallides pushing the ball to safety.

However, minutes later Wales were in dreamland as Bale's determination got him to Richard's cross, the Real Madrid star giving Georgallides no chance with his 18th international goal on a famous night for his country.

http://www.skysports.com/football/cyprus-vs-wales/report/309064

Wales


【now.com體育】荷蘭由新帥白蘭特帶領，周四在歐國盃外圍賽A組迎戰榜首的冰島，竟因洛賓傷出及馬田斯恩迪被逐下以0:1敗陣，爭取頭兩名出線陷入劣勢。

荷蘭今仗由代替軒迪克掌軍的白蘭特首次領軍，洛賓（Arjen Robben）出任隊長，兩位曼聯球員迪比及主帥兒子戴利白蘭特均正選上陣，相反已離開紅魔的前任國家隊隊長尹佩斯，則被列作後備，由亨特拉爾出任箭頭。至於暫列A組榜首的冰島，則有球迷熟悉的史雲斯中場基菲爾施古臣。

開賽僅7分鐘，冰島差點先入球，但前鋒保華臣竟門前漏空失機；31分鐘，荷蘭有洛賓傷出，2分鐘後更雪上加霜踢少1個，中堅馬田斯恩迪與敵軍前鋒史基賀臣糾纏中，疑因打中對方面部，被球證紅牌驅逐。白蘭特其後調入後衛謝菲保馬，取代箭頭的亨特拉爾，希望先求穩守不失。

不過，換邊後僅4分鐘，荷蘭便因雲達韋爾在禁區內踢跌比卡比查拿臣，被判罰12碼，由施古臣操刀射入，最終荷蘭儘管在劣勢下積極反撲，也無法追和，最終以0:1落敗，被對方拋離至8分差距。加上，第2位的捷克亦在同日以2:1擊敗哈薩克，領先橙衣軍團6分，後者要爭取頭兩名的直接出線席位，相當不樂觀。



荷蘭

European Qualifier round-up: Netherlands lose to Iceland and Belgium beat Bosnia

Last Updated: 04/09/15 12:00am



The Netherlands lost ground in their bid to secure automatic qualification for Euro 2016 as they were beaten 1-0 by Group A leaders Iceland on Thursday after being reduced to 10 men in the first half.

Gylfi Sigurdsson scored the only goal of the game for Iceland from the penalty spot in the 51st minute after the hosts - managed by Danny Blind for the first time - had Bruno Martins Indi sent off in the 33rd minute.

The defeat means the Netherlands - who must beat Turkey on Sunday - remain third in the group, eight points behind leaders Iceland and six adrift of second-placed Czech Republic, who beat Kazakhstan 2-1.

Yuri Logvinenko opened the scoring for the Kazakhs in the 21st minute but two second-half goals from Milan Skoda, including an 86th-minute winner, saw the Czechs keep their qualification on track.

Turkey drew 1-1 with Latvia in the other Group A game.

Elsewhere, Wales maintained their grip on the top of Group B and continued their unbeaten qualification run with a 1-0 win over Cyprus.

Gareth Bale headed the only goal of the game in the 82nd minute to snatch the victory which kept Wales three clear of second-placed Belgium, who defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-1.

Roma striker Edin Dzeko put Bosnia and Herzegovina ahead in the 15th minute before Marouane Fellaini and new Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne put the hosts 2-1 ahead at half-time in Brussels. Eden Hazard sealed the win from the penalty spot in the 78th minute.

Israel kept alive their hopes of a top-two finish in Group B with a comfortable 4-0 victory over rock-bottom Andorra in Haifa.

Eran Zahavi struck the opener after just three minutes, with Nir Bitton making it 2-0 with a 22nd-minute header. Brighton striker Tomer Hemed added a third from the penalty spot four minutes later before Munas Dabbur completed the scoring.

Meanwhile, Graziano Pelle's 69th-minute goal saw Italy defeat Malta 1-0 to move top of Group H while Norway remain third after their 1-0 win over Bulgaria, Vegard Forren scoring the only goal just before the hour mark.

Croatia drew 0-0 with Azerbaijan in the early game to slip into second place as their goal difference is worse than Italy's.

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/19692/9977876/european-qualifier-round-up-netherlands-lose-to-iceland-and-belgium-beat-bosnia

Turkey 都贏唔到...第三都好似有附加賽打

fong711:Turkey 都贏唔到...第三都好似有附加賽打[表情] [表情] [表情]  (2015-09-04 09:36) 

我驚下場都贏唔到土耳其

荷蘭好危下喎。

freezefox:荷蘭好危下喎。 (2015-09-04 10:25) 

第三都死la, 打附加賽

威爾斯勁左咁多既？

應該九成九篤定入決賽週了，最後三場只要拎三分就已經肯定入到，仲要有場主場對 andorra……

荷蘭就真係慘不忍睹，要爭第三踢 playoff……

Faroe Islands 1-3 Northern Ireland: Gareth McAuley stars in win

Last Updated: 05/09/15 12:19am



Northern Ireland are closing in on a place at Euro 2016 after Gareth McAuley scored twice to help secure a crucial 3-1 win over the Faroe Islands.

The match was finely poised at 1-1 in the second half but the hosts then had goalscorer Joan Edmundsson sent off for a second bookable offence, before McAuley and Kyle Lafferty struck to win it for the visitors.

Northern Ireland now find themselves top of the Group F standings and are four points clear of third-placed Hungary, whom they entertain in a massive match on Monday night – live on Sky Sports.



Victory in that encounter would send Northern Ireland through to their first European Championship and their first major tournament since the 1986 World Cup.

Wary of an improved Faroe Islands side, Northern Ireland were full of intent at the start of the night in Torshavn and bossed the early stages.

And they took a 12th-minute lead when Oliver Norwood sent over a fine free-kick from the right and McAuley out-muscled his marker before stooping to guide his header into the net.

The visitors then squandered a decent chance to make it 2-0, Niall McGinn shooting wide after a Norwood corner had fallen nicely for him.

But the Faroe Islands grew in confidence after that and enjoyed a spell of pressure which culminated in a deserved 36th-minute equaliser.

The goal was a consequence of sloppy defending by Northern Ireland, Stuart Dallas flicking the ball around rather than clearing following a long throw-in, allowing Sonni Nattestad to sneak in and pull the ball back to Edmundsson, who stabbed it home at the near post.

Suitably chastened, Northern Ireland responded but Lafferty headed over from close range when he was picked out by McGinn just before the break.

The visitors continued to press after the interval but McGinn shot wide and Lafferty had a volley blocked.

However, the hosts then made life very tough for themselves as Edmundsson, who had been needlessly booked in the first half, repeated the feat, losing the ball and then lunging in very late on Norwood as he tried to retrieve the situation, leaving the referee with little choice but to show him a second yellow card.

And Northern Ireland were back in front seven minutes later, Brunt sending a delightful free-kick into the six-yard area from close to the by-line on the right and McAuley (71) again wanting it most, lunging bravely in to glance the ball into the net.

Four minutes later, the points were all but safe, sub Josh Magennis doing brilliantly to cut a ball into the near post region from the by-line before Lafferty managed to rifle the ball home on the turn, after a prolonged tussle for possession with Nattestad.

That was a sixth goal of the qualifying stages for the Norwich forward and the visitors almost bagged their fourth of the night in the closing stages but Gunnar Nielsen produced a fantastic save to push a Magennis drive onto the post.

http://www.skysports.com/football/faroe-isl-vs-n-ireland/309073


北愛

嘩，希臘做咩呀？！

freezefox:嘩，希臘做咩呀？！[表情]  (2015-09-05 10:04) 

經濟危機波及體育……

火鳳凰:經濟危機波及體育…… (2015-09-05 10:27) 

無心機踢波。

【now.com體育】威爾斯離躋身明年歐國外決賽周只差一步，周日在B組迎戰以色列若全取3分，便能打破57年不入決賽周的魔咒。

威爾斯對上1次在大賽舞台獻技，已要數到1958年在瑞典舉行的世界盃，而且成績不差，順利在分組賽突圍入8強，最終以0:1不敵由比利建功的巴西，結束當屆賽事。自此後，這支足球小國便未曾再踏足過任何大賽，其中在1978及1994年的世盃外圍賽，距離入決賽周的機會均不小，可惜在關鍵一役失諸交臂，功虧一簣。

至於歐國盃決賽周，該國有史以來更從未踏足，而今屆藉助在外圍賽穩定的演出，有望提早圓夢。只要這支迄今在B組高踞榜首的球隊，周日迎戰以色列可全取3分，便可鎖定明年夏天飛往法國參賽的入場券。

領隊高文在上周四擊敗塞浦路斯後，亦難掩興奮地表示：「我告訴球員，要一心專注比賽，不要分心出線形勢，但我自己都做不到，球員也不能，因為我們真的等了太久，終於有機會再出席大型賽事。」

威爾斯在外圍賽7仗錄得5勝2和不敗，雖然入球過於集中在加里夫巴利身上，縱數只得9個，不及同組的比利時、以色列甚至塞浦路斯般攻力旺盛，點點開花，但固若金湯的防線，令他們只失2球，當中兩循環與被列為種子的比利時交手，都能保住清白之身，錄得1勝1和，解釋了為何有力出線決賽周，亦證明早前在FIFA世界排名升上第9，並在最新一次首壓鄰國英格蘭，絕非僥倖而得。