Euro 2016: Lewa consigns Ireland to playoffs

Sport360 staff 03:45 12/10/2015
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  • In form: Lewandowski.

    Robert Lewandowski ended the Republic of Ireland‘s hopes of automatic qualification for the Euro 2016 finals as Poland secured their trip to France.

    The Bayern Munich striker’s 15th goal in 447 minutes of football for club and country handed the home side a 2-1 win to end their Group D campaign in second place behind world champions Germany.

    Grzegorz Krychowiak had given the Poles a 13th-minute lead at the Narodowy Stadium, but Jonathan Walters’ penalty three minutes later gave Ireland, who had skipper John O’Shea sent off for as second bookable offence in injury time, fresh hope until Lewandowski’s 42nd-minute intervention.

    Martin O’Neill’s men, who had won their three previous qualifiers to keep themselves firmly in the race, have the consolation prize of a place in the play-offs, but still have plenty of work to do if they are to join England, Wales and Northern Ireland at next summer’s finals.

    Steven Fletcher scored his second Group D hat-trick against Gibraltar as Scotland concluded their failed 2016 Euro qualification campaign with an easy 6-0 win over the section minnows at the Estadio Algarve in Faro.

    Gordon Strachan’s makeshift side took a two-goal lead into the interval after Chris Martin’s first international goal was followed by a wonderful Shaun Maloney strike.

    Fletcher, who scored three in the 6-1 win over Gibraltar at Hampden in March, netted twice in four minutes after the break and then grabbed another with a fine 85th-minute finish before Steven Naismith, on for Martin, made it 6-0 in added time.
    Delight: Fletcher.

    France continued their preparations as next summer’s European Championship hosts with a 2-1 win over Denmark in Copenhagen.

    Olivier Giroud proved he is an able replacement for the injured Karim Benzema, who suffered a thigh strain during France’s 4-0 win over Armenia on Thursday, as the Arsenal striker scored two early goals at the Parken Stadium.

    Denmark pulled a goal back in injury time through Erik Sviatchenko’s superb long-range strike but it was too little, too late.

    World champions Germany successfully reached Euro 2016 as the final round of qualifying matches continued on Sunday.

    Max Kruse came off the bench to score the goal that sent Germany through as Group D winners with a 2-1 victory over Georgia in Leipzig.

    After wasting a host of early chances, Joachim Low’s side were becoming frustrated after Jaba Kankava cancelled out a Thomas Muller penalty with a stunning strike.

    Constantin Budescu struck twice and Alexandru Maxim was also on target as Romania secured their spot with a 3-0 victory in the Faroe Islands.

    Albania also qualified as runners-up in Group I, beating Armenia 3-0 to advance to their first major tournament.

    Northern Ireland were denied a seventh win of their triumphant campaign, but a point in Finland was still enough to see them break new ground by winning Group F.

    In doing so they held off Romania and became the first fifth seed in European qualifying history to finish top of the pile.

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