Women's Football

Netherlands and Norway edge closer to EURO qualification

Maria Thorisdottir of Norway celebrates Guro Reiten's goal — © imago images

Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Italy & Switzerland confirmed top-two spots
Netherlands and Norway need a win in October to guarantee qualifying
Le Sommer makes history, Marozsan joins the 100 club

Qualifying for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 in England is beginning to take shape. After the latest round of results, reigning champions the Netherlands need a win in their match at home to Estonia on 23 October to secure their spot at the tournament next year, while Norway will also be able to stamp their ticket if they pick up three points against Belarus (21 October).

How the groups currently stand

The Netherlands are the dominant force in Group A, with seven wins in as many matches. The most recent – a 1-0 success against Russia – means that the defending champions are now within touching distance of qualifying, sitting as they do nine points clear of second-placed Slovenia.

Group B is a lot tighter, with Denmark and Italy running neck-and-neck in the fight for first place. After Denmark’s 8-0 thrashing of Malta and Italy’s equally comfortable 5-0 win in Bosnia and Herzegovina, those teams have secured the top two spots in the table.

Everything currently seems to be going to plan for two-time EURO-winners Norway. They strengthened their position at the top of Group C after squeezing past Wales 1-0. A win for the Gresshoppene against Belarus will see them safely through.

The same cannot be said for Poland, however, who managed just one point from their home-and-away clashes with Czech Republic. After a goalless draw in the first match, the Poles went down 2-0 in the second, relegating Milosz Stepinski’s squad to third place. The Spanish are currently in the box seat after seeing off Moldova 9-0. That puts La Roja level with the Czechs with a game in hand.

Sweden and Iceland dropped their first points in the recent round of matches. The two teams had each made a perfect start with wins in their opening four matches, but something had to give when they faced off against one another. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, with the hotly-anticipated return match coming on 27 October. Hungary pulled to within six points of those two with a 4-0 win over Latvia.

History was made in Group G as Eugenie Le Sommer became France’s all-time leading scorer, overtaking Marinette Pichon’s record of 81 goals. Le Sommer scored twice in the opening minutes of what was to end up a 7-0 win over North Macedonia for Les Bleues, who had already defeated Serbia 2-0 in the run-up to that match. Despite those results, it is Austria who sit atop the group after their 5-0 win over Kazakhstan under new coach Irene Fuhrmann.

Group H sees a tense battle for EURO qualification between Switzerland and Belgium. Nils Nielsen’s Swiss team recorded a disappointing 1-1 result against Croatia but picked themselves up to defeat the Red Flames at home in the Thun Arena 2-1, stealing top spot off the Belgians who had previously not dropped a point throughout their campaign.

There will be a final showdown for qualifying when Belgium host Switzerland in the reverse fixture, unless the Swiss manage an away win in Romania on 26 October and the Belgians lose in Lithuania, in which case the Nati will already have secured top spot.

Germany saw off the previously undefeated Republic of Ireland 3-0 and followed that up with an identical result away to Montenegro. They now sit five points clear with two matches remaining, which would enable them to secure qualifying in their penultimate match against Greece if Vera Pauw’s Irish team do not pick up all three points away to Ukraine on 22 October. Dzenifer Marozsan, meanwhile, reached a notable landmark by collecting cap number 100 in the second of those 3-0 wins.

Czech Republic celebrate scoring against Poland in UEFA Women's EURO qualifiers

22 Sep 2020

**imago images / Newspix**22.09.2020 BIELSKO-BIALA UL. RYCHLINSKIEGO 21 ( POLAND ) PILKA NOZNA KOBIET ( WOMENíS FOOTBALL ) ELIMINACJE MISTRZOSTW EUROPY ANGLIA 2022 ( UEFA WOMEN S EURO 2022 ENGLAND - QUALIFYING ROUND ) MECZ POLSKA - CZECHY ( POLAND - CZECH REPUBLIC ) NZ ANDREA STASKOVA RADOSC BRAMKA GOL EMOCJE 0:1 DLA CZECH FOTO MICHAL STANCZYK / CYFRASPORT / NEWSPIX

© imago images
Maria Thorisdottir of Norway celebrates Guro Reiten's goal

22 Sep 2020

**imago images / Bildbyran**200922 Maria Thorisdottir of Norway celebrates after 1-0 during the UEFA Women s EURO Qualifier, EM, Europameisterschaft football match between Norway and Wales on September 22, 2020 in Oslo. Photo: Vegard Wivestad Grott / BILDBYRAN /

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Sara Björk Gunnarsdottir of Iceland and Kosovare Asllani of Sweden vie for the ball in a 1-1 draw

22 Sep 2020

**Imago images / Bildbyran**200922 Sara Björk Gunnarsdottir of Iceland and Kosovare Asllani of Sweden during the UEFA Women s EURO Qualifier, EM, Europameisterschaft football match between Iceland and Sweden on September 22, 2020 in Reykjavik. Photo: Maxim ThorÃ / BILDBYRAN

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Sophie Ingle of Wales and Caroline Graham Hansen of Norway vie for the ball

22 Sep 2020

**Imago images / Bildbyran**200922 Sophie Ingle of Wales and Caroline Graham Hansen of Norway during the UEFA Women s EURO Qualifier, EM, Europameisterschaft football match between Norway and Wales on September 22, 2020 in Oslo. Photo: Vegard Wivestad Grott / BILDBYRAN

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Denmark celebrate scoring against Malta

22 Sep 2020

**imago images / Domenic Aquilina** Denmark women soccer players celebrate scoring against Malta during the UEFA WomenÕs Euro Group B qualifying soccer match at the Centenary Stadium, TaÕ Qali, Malta on 22 September, 2020.

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Melanie Leupolz of Germany is substituted for Dzsenifer Marozsan, who made her 100th appearance for her country

22 Sep 2020

PODGORICA, MONTENEGRO - SEPTEMBER 22: Melanie Leupolz of Germany is substitude with Dzsenifer Marozsan of Germany during the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 Qualifier match between Montenegro and Germany at Pod Goricom on September 22, 2020 in Podgorica, Montenegro. (Photo by Filip Filipovic/Getty Images)

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Alisha Lehmann celebrates scoring for Switzerland against Belgium

22 Sep 2020

**imago images / Belga** Switzerland s Alisha Lehmann celebrates after scoring during a soccer game between Switzerland and Belgium s Red Flames, Tuesday 22 September 2020 in Thun, qualification game 6/8 for the women s Euro 2021 European Championships.

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Germany player warm up

22 Sep 2020

PODGORICA, MONTENEGRO - SEPTEMBER 22: Germany player warm up prior the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 Qualifier match between Montenegro and Germany at Pod Goricom on September 22, 2020 in Podgorica, Montenegro. (Photo by Filip Filipovic/Getty Images)

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Germany players celebrate a goal

22 Sep 2020

PODGORICA, MONTENEGRO - SEPTEMBER 22: Germany players celebrate a goal during the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 Qualifier match between Montenegro and Germany at Pod Goricom on September 22, 2020 in Podgorica, Montenegro. (Photo by Filip Filipovic/Getty Images)

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Martina Voss- Tecklenburg, manager of Germany

22 Sep 2020

PODGORICA, MONTENEGRO - SEPTEMBER 22: Martina Voss- Tecklenburg, manager of Germany during the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 Qualifier match between Montenegro and Germany at Pod Goricom on September 22, 2020 in Podgorica, Montenegro. (Photo by Filip Filipovic/Getty Images)

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Sophia Kleinherne of Germany and Medina Desic of Montenegro

22 Sep 2020

PODGORICA, MONTENEGRO - SEPTEMBER 22: Sophia Kleinherne of Germany and Medina Desic of Montenegro battle for the ball during the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 Qualifier match between Montenegro and Germany at Pod Goricom on September 22, 2020 in Podgorica, Montenegro. (Photo by Filip Filipovic/Getty Images)

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Melanie Leupolz of Germany celebrates a goal

22 Sep 2020

PODGORICA, MONTENEGRO - SEPTEMBER 22: Melanie Leupolz of Germany celebrates a goal during the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 Qualifier match between Montenegro and Germany at Pod Goricom on September 22, 2020 in Podgorica, Montenegro. (Photo by Filip Filipovic/Getty Images)

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Germany players warms up prior the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 Qualifier match

22 Sep 2020

PODGORICA, MONTENEGRO - SEPTEMBER 22: Germany players warms up prior the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 Qualifier match between Montenegro and Germany at Pod Goricom on September 22, 2020 in Podgorica, Montenegro. (Photo by Filip Filipovic/Getty Images)

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