On September 9th Beijing time, the European World Cup qualifiers proceeded with notable matches including Switzerland’s 3-0 triumph over Slovenia, Croatia’s 4-0 rout of Montenegro, Greece’s 0-3 loss to Denmark, and Italy’s dramatic 5-4 win against Israel. Consequently, the updated standings show Switzerland with two wins at the top, Croatia leading with four consecutive victories, Denmark undefeated after two matches, and Italy climbing to second place with three straight wins!

In the group’s second round, Switzerland faced Slovenia. Switzerland dominated the match, playing simply and efficiently. Their attacking was highly effective in the first half, scoring three quick goals to decide the game early. In the second half, Switzerland controlled the tempo steadily, although they didn’t score again, they kept Slovenia under pressure with very few chances, ultimately sweeping the opponent 3-0 for their second consecutive win!

In the group’s sixth round, Croatia hosted Montenegro. Croatia played with intense pressure and, already superior in strength, found it even easier against a Montenegro team reduced to ten men. Croatia relentlessly bombarded their opponents, taking 32 shots and winning 4-0 to secure a fourth straight victory, firmly holding the top spot!

In the group’s second round, Greece played Denmark. Expectations were that Greece might show potential and trouble Denmark, but the match turned into a one-sided affair. Denmark controlled the game steadily, scoring once in the first half and twice more in the second half to seal the win. Denmark’s fairy-tale run continued with a 3-0 victory over Greece, remaining unbeaten after two rounds and ranking first!

In the group’s sixth round, Israel faced Italy. Italy’s performance was truly mixed; they conceded an own goal early on. Italy then equalized at the 40th minute. Early in the second half, Israel struck quickly again to take the lead. Italy’s attack exploded with three goals to lead 4-2, but the final moments were full of twists. Italy made mistakes, gifting Israel another own goal, and two minutes later Israel capitalized again to level at 4-4, bringing both teams back on equal footing. In stoppage time at the 91st minute, Tonali scored a decisive winner, sealing a 5-4 victory for Italy. This win was extremely hard-earned for Italy, giving away two own goals but delivering a crucial final blow. This victory is vital, as falling behind in the group would be risky, and it also highlights Italy’s defensive vulnerabilities!

Written by / Sports Novel