Euro: UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifying

[HajdukSplit]

Qualification for Euro 2020 begins this week, starting on March 21. Unlike previous editions, there are no hosts automatically qualified and the playoffs will be determined by Nations League results rather than group stage results. The top two in each group automatically qualify while the winners of each Nations League group are guaranteed at least a playoff should they not finish in the top two. Honestly I am still confused on how the playoffs will be determined but hopefully it will become clearer as the games start:

A: Netherlands, Switzerland, Portugal, England
B: Ukraine, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Sweden, Denmark
C: Scotland, Finland, Norway, Serbia
D: Georgia, Belarus, Kosovo, Macedonia

MATCHDAY 1
March 21
C: Netherlands vs. Belarus; Northern Ireland vs. Estonia
E: Croatia vs. Azerbaijan; Slovakia vs. Hungary
G: Austria vs. Poland; Macedonia vs. Latvia; Israel vs. Slovenia
I: Belgium vs. Russia; Kazakhstan vs. Scotland; Cyprus vs. San Marino

March 22
A: England vs. Czech Republic; Bulgaria vs. Montenegro
B: Portugal vs. Ukraine; Luxembourg vs. Lithuania
H: Moldova vs. France; Andorra vs. Iceland; Albania vs. Turkey

March 23
D: Georgia vs. Switzerland; Gibraltar vs. Rep of Ireland
F: Spain vs. Norway; Sweden vs. Romania; Malta vs. Faroe Islands
J: Italy vs. Finland; Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Armenia; Liechtenstein vs. Greece

Matchday 2 begins on March 24 and concludes March 26; the remaining international breaks are 2 in June, 2 in September, 2 in October and 2 in November. Also another change from previous qualification campaigns is the playoffs will take place only 2.5 months before the actual tournament and the Euro 2020 Finals draw will take place before all 24 teams are known

Click to read more...

 

[HajdukSplit]

So Kazakhstan-Scotland kick it off on ESPN3, this is a match the Scots tend to lose in recent years, will actually watch it

 

[HajdukSplit]

Kazakhs score out of nothing, Merkel (German-Kazakh) with a simple long ball which beats the Scottish defense but credit to Pertsukh for the top corner finish

2-0 before 10 minutes, Scottish defense getting exposed

 

[Ceremony]

I don't have any words any more

 

[Ivan13]

GG Scots. Complete shambles.

 

[ScottishCanuck]

All you can do is laugh. Or shout profanities.

Never should have gone with him as manager in the first place. The SFA is an old boy's club that needs demolished and totally rebuilt. One of the worst, least competent governing bodies in sport.

 

[Savi]

I thought Scotland were going to challenge Russia for second place.. guess not

 

[Savi]

 

[Moncherry]

All you can do is laugh. Or shout profanities.

Never should have gone with him as manager in the first place. The SFA is an old boy's club that needs demolished and totally rebuilt. One of the worst, least competent governing bodies in sport.

Is there any FA that their national supporters don't consider one of the worst, least competent governing bodies in sport?

 

[HajdukSplit]

Not thrilled with the CRO lineup, especially Brekalo at RB and Petkovic going from the reserve list to starting lineup in a week because of above average performances in the HNL. Against Azerbaijan Dalic will probably get away with it but I have a hunch he will experiment a lot in the qualifiers because he already did Rog at RB recently (which failed badly) and that crazy formation against Nigeria (which worked to be fair)

 

[Pouchkine]

All you can do is laugh. Or shout profanities.

Never should have gone with him as manager in the first place. The SFA is an old boy's club that needs demolished and totally rebuilt. One of the worst, least competent governing bodies in sport.

Please stop blaming coaches when the players are simply not good enough.

 

[Pouchkine]

I can't believe Holland is still playing Ryan Babel. Who would have thought Holland would be lacking that much in forwards? The rest of the XI is interesting though.

 

[Ajacied]

I can't believe Holland is still playing Ryan Babel. Who would have thought Holland would be lacking that much in forwards? The rest of the XI is interesting though.

Yes, I still feel weird seeing our lineups these past few years as well.

Babel doesn't bring much of anything. He's lost his main weapons; pace and power. He already was very predictable, but he's even more now. He shouldn't be playing when you have Promes, Stengs or even Kluivert on hand. Promes especially is playing well lately. He, Memphis and Bergwijn would've formed an amazingly fast trio up front. But, Koeman likes Babel because he is a defensive workhorse in his system, which he does pretty well, admittedly, yet he rarely gets by his man and often choses the safe tap backwards, which is very un-Oranje like. Seeing him makes me miss Robben even more.

There are more question marks, though. Marten de Roon is very underrated, but Wijnaldum and de Jong are locks at midfield already and de Roon is more of a mix of those two than he is a creatieve midfielder trying to connect midfield with the attack. Doesn't appear to be anyone fitting that description in the system right now, whereas it's usually our bread and butter. Mohamed Ihattaran or Naci Unuvar are a few years away, but would be so welcomed in this squad; pure, ballsy, creatieve #10's with flair.

Can't complain much about the defense. Probably the best one we've had since the Giovanni - F de Boer - Stam - Reiziger days.

 

[ScottishCanuck]

Please stop blaming coaches when the players are simply not good enough.

Big Scottish football fan are we?

The players aren't good enough to avoid a 3-0 thumping to the mighty Kazakhstan? Please stop talking nonsense.

 

[Ceremony]

Please stop blaming coaches when the players are simply not good enough.

That'll be players like Scott McTominay who bossed a game away at PSG last week. As a holding midfielder. Who was brought on when his team were 3-0 down.

 

[Ajacied]

Memphis continues his strong play for Oranje with a goal after 45 seconds.

 

[YNWA14]

I can't believe Holland is still playing Ryan Babel. Who would have thought Holland would be lacking that much in forwards? The rest of the XI is interesting though.

Honestly, he hasn't been terrible...but definitely Promes is a much, much better player and should be starting over him.

 

[Savi]

Beautiful counter attack. Tielemans with his first international goal.

edit: well shit, Courtois with a horrible, horrible mistake and it's tied 1-1

 

[YNWA14]

De Roon is such a painfully slow runner lol

 

[Ajacied]

De Roon is such a painfully slow runner lol

No kidding.

Depay is just a whole 'nother player when he dons the Oranje shirt. He's been awesome. Goal + assist so far.

 

[lostinwarsaw]

Go slovensko

 

[HajdukSplit]

Croatia finally score after a series of corners, ugly scramble but they all count, though the Azeris have tons of space on Brekalo’s side

 

[Hesher]

We aren't playing well at all but we're up 1-0.

 

[Pouchkine]

Big Scottish football fan are we?

The players aren't good enough to avoid a 3-0 thumping to the mighty Kazakhstan? Please stop talking nonsense.

Well they just lost 3-0 to Kazakhstan it seems they are... I don't remember exactly, it's been so long , when was the last time you guys qualified for a major tournament?

 

[Live in the Now]

Piatek is impossible to keep from scoring at this point.

He finally misses one that could have made it 2-0. Amazing chance.