Soccernews Issue # 6, 14Th October 2015
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SoccerNews Issue # 6, 14th October 2015 Continental/Division Tires Alexander Bahlmann Phone: +49 511 938 2615 Head of Media & Public Relations PLT E-Mail: [email protected] The England national team with Adam Lallana celebrate Buettnerstraße 25 | 30165 Hannover www.contisoccerworld.de the conclusion of a perfect qualification in Vilnius. Photo: Imago Soccer News # 6/2015 2 News Turkey achieves a miracle by avoiding the play-offs “We are going to the European Championship without Holland”. The favourite chant of many Ger- man football fans will certainly be heard again in German stadiums until the beginning of the 15th Hanging their heads at being knocked-out: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (2nd from left) and Bas Dost (right) after the Dutch elimination in the European Championship European Championship. qualification. Photo: Imago It will particularly blast the ears of the Oranje great football nation. Holland failed to qualify to July 10 has not yet ended. Twenty of the and the newcomers to the finals, Albania, Ice- Elftal players during the international friendly for a European Championship finals for the 24 countries are known, with eight teams still land, Wales, Slovakia and Northern Ireland. between Germany and the Netherlands on first time since 1984. In contrast, Turkey, with hoping to grab one of the four remaining November 17. For the 2014 World Cup bronze just ten men on the pitch after a red card, places. Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, The Dutch, the 1988 European champions, medallists, who failed to qualify, it will be the defeated Iceland 1-0 in Group A with the win- Slovenia, Hungary, Ukraine and Bosnia-Herze- were not the only former title holders who first step in a rebuilding process leading to ner scored in the 89th minute. The Turks not govina will battle it out. The four fixtures will did not make it, however. Though less no- the qualifications for the 2018 World Cup, only ascertained third place with five points be drawn in Nyon on October 18. ticed, Greece were even worse hit. The 2004 while for Germany it will be a serious test on ahead of the Dutch, but also superseded winners, who also participated at the 2014 the road to achieving their fourth European Hungary as the best among the nine third- The following 20 countries are already in World Cup finals, finished bottom in Group F, title after 1972, 1980 and 1996. placed teams and thus qualified directly for the pots for the six groups to be determined even behind the Faeroe Islands. the finals. in the draw for EURO 2016 in Paris on De- “Dark times for Dutch football”, predicted the cember 12: France, automatically qualified as Belgium now lead the world ranking tabloid newspaper “De Telegraf” after the 3-2 The field of participants is now complete by hosts, Czech Republic, Belgium, Spain, Ger- The conclusion of the group stage of the loss to the Czech Republic in Amsterdam on more than 80 percent, but the race for the many, Poland, England, Switzerland, Romania, European Championship qualification was Tuesday, so striking the blackest hour for the great football festival next year from June 10 Austria, Russia, Italy, Croatia, Portugal, Turkey exciting. Turkey continued their catch-up race Soccer News # 6/2015 3 in Group A at Konya. After their 2-0 win in News the Czech Republic three days before, they Former European Championship finals participation also beat already qualified Iceland. Goekhan Five nations make their European Toere was sent off in the 77th minute, at a time when a defeat and a Dutch victory Albania Poland Championship debut would have buried all hopes for the Turks. But European Championships (2016 first participation) European Championships (3): 1960, 2008, 2012 a direct free-kick by Selcuk Inan secured the Six groups, 24 participants, 51 matches – the 1-0 lead against Iceland in the 89th minute. Belgium Portugal 2016 European Championship in France will This ensured direct qualification, supported European Championships (4): 1972, 1980, 1984, 2000 European Championships (6): 1984, 1996, 2000, be a tournament of superlatives. In addition by Kazakhstan celebrating their first victory 2004, 2008, 2012 to the established nations, football fans will with 1-0 in Latvia. Croatia also qualified di- Germany see numerous European Championship new rectly on Tuesday, albeit with a meagre 1-0 in European Championships (11): 1972, 1976, 1980, Romania boys during the four weeks between June 10 Malta and aided by Norway losing 2-1 in Italy. 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 European Championships (4): 1984, 1996, 2000, 2008 and July 10, due to the increase of participat- Bosnia-Herzegovina finished third behind Bel- ing teams from 16 to 24 for the first time. No gium and Wales in Group B with a 3-2 win in England Russia fewer than five nations ascertained their first Cyprus. Israel failed with a 3-1 defeat at group European Championships (8): 1968, 1980, 1988, European Championships (4): 1996, 2004, 2008, ever participation in a European Champion- winners Belgium. The qualification was linked 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2012 2012 ship finals directly without the burden of to a prestigious success for the Belgians. The play-offs – Albania, Iceland, Northern Ireland, team overtook Argentina and Germany and France Schwitzerland Slovakia and Wales. Spectators may look now leads the world rankings. European Championships (8): 1960, 1984, 1992, European Championships (3): 1996, 2004, 2008 forward to the so called small countries and 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 outsiders led by superstars. A survey: The qualification rounds recorded a great Slovakia comeback by British football. With a 3-0 Iceland European Championships (2016 first participation) Albania win in Lithuania in their last match England European Championships (2016 first participation) On Sunday evening euphoric fans gathered remained the only team to record ten wins Spain everywhere throughout Albania with motor- in ten matches. Wales and Northern Ireland Italy European Championships (10): 1960, 1964, 1980, cades, fireworks and victory dances to cel- qualified for their first ever European Cham- European Championships (8): 1968, 1980, 1988, 1984, 1988, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 ebrate their national team for their first ever pionship finals. Both teams have World Cup 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 qualification for a European Championship experience from a very long time ago. It was Czech Republic after their 3-0 victory in Armenia. The clear politically volitional that five countries will Croatia European Championships (5): 1996, 2000, 2004, win in Yerevan confirmed Albania’s second make their European Championship debut. European Championships (4): 1996, 2004, 2008, 2012 2008, 2012 position in Group I and thus a medium sensa- Thus UEFA President Michel Platini fulfilled a tion. With 14 points the country of 2.8 million promise given to the smaller national associa- Northern Ireland Turkey inhabitants ousted Denmark (12) in second tions with the increase from 16 to 24 teams European Championships (2016 first participation) European Championships (3): 1996, 2000, 2008 place to slot behind Portugal (21) in the strong for the finals. Since then the Frenchman, who group, with Serbia (4) and Armenia (2). Their led his country to the 1984 European title at Austria Wales record is not unblemished, however. Alba- home, has been banned due to the suspected European Championships (3): 1960, 1964, 2008 European Championships (2016 first participation) nia were awarded three ultimately decisive implication in the FIFA scandal and is look- points by an official decision after the match ing forward to the great football festival in his in Serbia was cancelled at 0-0 on October 14, home country with some resentment. 2014. Albanian fans, excluded from the match, Soccer News # 6/2015 4 SSC Naples and goalkeeper Etrit Berisha with Lazio Rome in Italy. Defender Mergim Mavraj earns his money with 1. FC Co- logne and Amir Abrashi with SC Freiburg in the Bundesliga. They are both in the squad whose assistant coach is former Hanoverian Altin Lala. Iceland The island country inhabited by just 330,000 people mas- tered the qualification superiorly and assured their European Championship participation two rounds before the conclusion. Though the then goalless draw with Kazakhstan recorded no memorable moments it brought a fantastic conclusion, with the 15,000 witnesses in the stadium in Reykjavik celebrating the dull match in pouring rain with the team, especially captain Aron Gunnarson, who was clearly overwhelmed by the event: “It is unbelievable. I am shocked”. But since then, a month later, fans and players have realised that they really came through in the tough Group A against such established greats as the Czech Republic, Turkey and the Netherlands. The Swede Lars Lagerbaeck and Icelander Heimir Hallgrimsson have formed a team whose defence is tough to break down. To France via Armenia: Shkelzen Gashi (left) and Albania’s national The team conceded just three goals in the eight qualifiers – and The player with possibly the best-sounding name from the European team have qualified for the European Championship finals in France. could rely on former Hoffenheim striker Gylfi Sigurdsson in the Championship qualification: Kolbeinn Sigthorsson has qualified with Photo: Getty Images attack, who scored six of the 15 Icelandic goals. The Swansea Iceland for the EURO finals. Photo: Getty Images City striker is the top star of the 23rd world ranked side. had flown a flag of Great Albania over the stadium on a drone – Rurik Gislason, a German second division legionnaire with celebrated first position ahead of Romania, Hungary, Finland, prompting provocation for the Serbs who caused riots in the 1. FC Nuremberg, is also in the squad. Faeroe Islands and Greece with a wink and a desire to meet stadium and the cancellation of the match.