Women's Football

Belgium, France and Iceland book EURO tickets

Belgium celebrate qualifying for the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 — © imago images

France, Belgium and Iceland have all qualified for the EURO
Best second-placed spots still up for grabs
Ukraine, Russia and Northern Ireland through to the play-offs

While another three spots have been secured at the UEFA Women's EURO 2022, a few other countries will have to wait a while longer before they can start making their summer travel plans.

One such example is Group D, where the crucial qualifier between Spain and Poland had to be postponed. Group E is another that is still in the balance: Finland and Portugal occupy the box seats with 16 points apiece, the former defeating Scotland 1-0 for the second time in the group stages, the latter also beating the Scots 1-0 and doing likewise against Albania. Top spot will be decided when the two countries face off early next year.

Italy, Austria and Switzerland will also have to wait until 2021 to find out whether they will get direct access to the EURO as one of the three best second-placed teams, or if they will have to take their chances via the play-offs.

The last qualifying matches are set to be played in February 2021.

Through to the final phase

Three more countries booked their places at the EURO, namely France, Belgium and Iceland. The hosts of the most recent FIFA Women’s World Cup™ wrapped up qualification on Friday with a comfortable 3-0 win over Austria. Goals from Wendie Renard and a brace from Marie-Antoinette Katoto secured the three points for the seven-time EURO participants. Then to round off the group phase with a bang, coach Corinne Diacre’s side inflicted a 12-0 defeat on Kazakhstan.

The Red Flames had gone neck-and-neck in Group H with Switzerland, with top spot only being decided on the final matchday. The Belgians made the most of home advantage at the Den Dreef Stadion to see off the visitors 4-0, with goals from Tine De Caigny (2), Tessa Wullaert and Janice Cayman.

Results on 1 December were enough to confirm that Iceland will be one of the three best group runners-up, taking them through to the 2022 tournament in England. Wins over Slovakia (3-1) and Hungary (1-0) sealed the deal and booked them a spot at the EURO for the fourth time in their history.

Still in the running

A resounding 7-0 win over Moldova saw Czech Republic take over second place in Group D. They are now within touching distance of the play-offs and will secure their place if Poland fail to win against Spain. Ukraine are already into the play-offs courtesy of a 2-1 victory over Montenegro and the Republic of Ireland’s 3-1 loss to Germany.

They will get their chance to grab one of the remaining qualifying spots in April 2021, as is the case for Northern Ireland. Kenneth Shiels’ side’s 5-1 win over Faroe Islands put them into the play-offs, with a first-ever EURO appearance firmly in their sights.

Malta make history

100

Carina Wenninger became just the third Austrian woman after Nina Burger (109) and Sarah Puntigam (104) to represent her country 100 times with her appearance against Serbia. The 29-year-old made her debut back on 5 May 2007. "The number of caps I’ve won isn’t that big a deal to me,” she said after the match. “What matters are the moments you get to share with the team. And 100 games obviously means that I’ve had lots of great moments already, and that’s something I’m proud of."

What they said

"I’m incredibly proud of the team for managing to bring home the three points today, even though we didn’t put in our best performance and really didn’t look that good out there. Those are the types of games you have to win. Now it’s out of our hands – we’ll have to wait and see what happens in the other groups."
Austria coach Irene Fuhrmann

"When the national anthems were played, I got goosebumps. After that though, I was fully focused. I put my emotions to one side and got my game-face on."
Ann-Katrin Berger on her debut for Germany

Finland celebrate after Amanda Rantanen's late winning goal against Scotland

01 Dec 2020

**imago images / PA Images** Scotland v Finland - UEFA Women s Euro 2021 Qualifying - Group E - Easter Road Finland players celebrate after teammate Amanda Rantanen (not visible) scores their side s first goal of the game during the UEFA Women s Euro 2021 Qualifying Group E match at Easter Road, Edinburgh.

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Tine De Caigny celebrates

01 Dec 2020

Belgium s Tine De Caigny celebrates after scoring during a soccer game between Belgium s Red Flames and Switzerland, Tuesday 01 December 2020 in Heverlee, the last qualification game for the women s Euro 2021 European Championships.

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Ria Oling of Finland vies with Kim Little of Scotland

01 Dec 2020

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 01: Ria Oling of Finland vies with Kim Little of Scotland during the Scotland Women v Finland Women - UEFA Women's EURO 2022 Qualifier at Easter Road on December 01, 2020 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

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Ria Oling of Finland vies with Kim Little of Scotland

01 Dec 2020

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 01: Ria Oling of Finland vies with Kim Little of Scotland during the Scotland Women v Finland Women - UEFA Women's EURO 2022 Qualifier at Easter Road on December 01, 2020 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

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Tabea Wabmuth (2nd L) of Germany celebrates

01 Dec 2020

TALLAGHT, IRELAND - DECEMBER 01: Tabea Wabmuth (2nd L) of Germany celebrates with team mates after scoring during the international UEFA U21 Womens Championship Group I game between Republic of Ireland and Germany at Tallaght Stadium on December 1, 2020 in Tallaght, Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

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Lieke Martens of Netherlands celebrates with her team mates

01 Dec 2020

BREDA, NETHERLANDS - DECEMBER 01: Lieke Martens of Netherlands celebrates with her team mates after scoring her sides third goal during the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 qualifier match between Netherlands Women and Kosovo Women at Rat Verlegh Stadion on December 01, 2020 in Breda, Netherlands. Sporting stadiums around Netherlands remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

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Katja Snoeijs of Netherlands celebrates

01 Dec 2020

BREDA, NETHERLANDS - DECEMBER 01: Katja Snoeijs of Netherlands celebrates with Joelle Smits and Inessa Kaagman after scoring her sides first goal during the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 qualifier match between Netherlands Women and Kosovo Women at Rat Verlegh Stadion on December 01, 2020 in Breda, Netherlands. Sporting stadiums around Netherlands remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

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Sweden celebrate with Linda Sembrandt after her goal against Slovakia in UEFA Women's EURO qualifying

01 Dec 2020

imago images / Bildbyran 201201 Filippa Angeldal, Amanda Ilestedt and Caroline Seger celebrate with Linda Sembrandt of Sweden after she scored 0-2 during the UEFA Women s EURO Qualifier, EM, Europameisterschaft football match between Slovakia and Sweden on December 1, 2020 in Trnava. Photo: Radovan Stoklasa / BILDBYRAN

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Tabea Wabmuth of Germany and Diane Caldwell of Republic of Ireland vie for the ball

01 Dec 2020

TALLAGHT, IRELAND - DECEMBER 01: Tabea Wabmuth of Germany and Diane Caldwell of Republic of Ireland during the international UEFA U21 Womens Championship Group I game between Republic of Ireland and Germany at Tallaght Stadium on December 1, 2020 in Tallaght, Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

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Tabea Wabmuth (L) of Germany celebrates with team mate Melanie Leupolz

01 Dec 2020

TALLAGHT, IRELAND - DECEMBER 01: Tabea Wabmuth (L) of Germany celebrates with team mate Melanie Leupolz after scoring during the international UEFA U21 Womens Championship Group I game between Republic of Ireland and Germany at Tallaght Stadium on December 1, 2020 in Tallaght, Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

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Florentina Kolgeci of Kosovo saves from Lineth Beerensteyn of Netherlands

01 Dec 2020

BREDA, NETHERLANDS - DECEMBER 01: Florentina Kolgeci of Kosovo saves from Lineth Beerensteyn of Netherlands during the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 qualifier match between Netherlands Women and Kosovo Women at Rat Verlegh Stadion on December 01, 2020 in Breda, Netherlands. Sporting stadiums around Netherlands remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

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Lina Magull of Germany scores a penalty during the UEFA Women's 2021 European Championship Qualifier against Republic of Ireland

01 Dec 2020

TALLAGHT, IRELAND - DECEMBER 01: Lina Magull of Germany scores a penalty during the international UEFA U21 Womens Championship Group I game between Republic of Ireland and Germany at Tallaght Stadium on December 1, 2020 in Tallaght, Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

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