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Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Portugal and France reach World Cup as Holland and Arjen Robben bow out

Pepe joins the celebrations as Portugal sealed their place in Russia with a victory over Switzerland.
The European champions, Portugal, qualified for next year’s World Cup with a convincing 2-0 win over Switzerland on Tuesday after an own goal by Johan Djourou set them on their way.
The Swiss defender put the ball into his own net four minutes before half-time and André Silva sealed the victory in the 57th minute as Portugal pulled level on 27 points with Switzerland and won Group B on goal difference.
The Swiss had led the group since beating Portugal 2-0 in Basel in their opening match in September last year and went on to win all nine matches before Tuesday’s encounter in Lisbon, while Portugal had won their subsequent eight. Switzerland will now enter Tuesday’s draw for the play-offs.
Portugal might have won more emphatically. Cristiano Ronaldo should have scored his 16th goal of the qualifying campaign when he was sent clear in the 78th minute but he over-elaborated as he tried to get around Yann Sommer and allowed the goalkeeper to claim the ball.

France seal top spot as Holland’s play-off tilt falls short

Antoine Griezmann scored one and set up another as France booked their place at next year’s World Cup finals by beating Belarus 2-1 at the Stade de France in their final Group A qualifying game on Tuesday.
Griezmann opened the scoring and then set up Olivier Giroud before the break while Belarus reduced the deficit on the stroke of half-time through Anton Saroka. The result put France, who will take part in their sixth consecutive World Cup finals, on 23 points after 10 games, four ahead of second-placed Sweden.
Didier Deschamps’s team were never really under pressure, the manager having switched from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2 formation with Giroud and Griezmann up front, pushing Kylian Mbappé and Alexandre Lacazette on to the bench. France began positively but Belarus had the first clear chance when Yuri Kovalev’s low angled shot whizzed just past Hugo Lloris’s right-hand post in the 12th minute. Kingsley Coman was a constant menace on the right flank and his fine cross in the 21st minute was met by Giroud, whose header crashed on to the bar.
The hosts were rewarded for their efforts six minutes later when Griezmann beat Syarhey Chernik from close range after a Blaise Matuidi through ball tore the Belarus defence wide open. They doubled their tally six minutes later as another through ball, this time from Griezmann, was collected by Giroud in the area and the Arsenal forward clinically slid it past Chernik. It was Giroud’s 28th goal for France.
France’s concentration levels dipped, however, and they were punished on the stroke of half-time when Saroka’s cool finish allowed the visitors to grab a route back into the game. Yet the hosts maintained control in the second half and though Belarus threatened on the break Deschamps, sensing danger, replaced Griezmann with the more defensive Moussa Sissoko, and France held out.
Holland v Sweden

 Arjen Robben applauds Holland’s fans after their win over Sweden. Photograph: Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images
Holland’s expected exit was confirmed when they beat Sweden 2-0 at the Amsterdam Arena, falling short of the seven-goal margin required to replace their opponents in the play-offs.
Arjen Robben, who announced his international retirement after the match, scored twice in the first half but it was not enough to prevent Sweden reaching the play-offs at the expense of the Dutch. The two countries finished level on 19 points, behind Group A winners France, but Sweden finished second on goal difference.
The home side started brightly, with Robben converting a 16th-minute penalty and then hammering in a superb left-footed shot five minutes before half-time to raise the hopes of the home fans. The Dutch, however, lacked the necessary creativity as Sweden shut up shop in the second half and the match fizzled out.
Switzerland and Sweden will be joined by Greece in the play-offs. Konstantinos Mitroglou scored twice as they got the home victory they needed against Group H minnows Gibraltar, running out 4-0 winners.

Uefa qualified teams

Russia (hosts), Belgium, Germany, England, Spain, Poland, Serbia, Iceland, France, Portugal

Play-offs

Seeded: Switzerland, Italy, Croatia, Denmark
Unseeded: Northern Ireland, Sweden, Republic of Ireland, Greece
The play-off draw will take place on Tuesday 17 October. The first legs will be played on 9-11 November, with the second legs on 12-14 November.

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