Paris: Belgium and the Netherlands both cruised to 4-0 wins over Scotland and Estonia respectively in Euro 2020 qualifying on Monday, while Germany claimed a crucial victory over Northern Ireland in their bid to qualify for next year’s finals.
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Roberto Martinez’s Belgium, the world-number-one ranked side, were not at their best but still swatted aside a poor Scotland outfit at Hampden Park to make it six wins from as many matches in Group I.
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Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku gave the visitors the lead in Glasgow in only the ninth minute with his Belgian record-extending 49th international goal.
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Defenders Thomas Vermaelen and Toby Alderweireld ended the game as a contest with less than 32 minutes on the clock.
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Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, who had assisted each of the first three goals, completed the scoring himself with eight minutes remaining.
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“It was not a world-class performance, we just did what we had to do,” said Belgium captain De Bruyne.
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“We had a tough start but after our first goal, we had more control and Scotland did not get many chances.”
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Belgium, who finished third at last year’s World Cup, are now 11 points clear of third-placed Kazakhstan at the summit of their group with the top two automatically qualifying and only four games to play.
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“We knew that with a win we would almost certainly qualify, and that is most important,” added De Bruyne.
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Russia remain in pole position to progress from Group I with Belgium, after Mario Fernandes’ 89th-minute winner sealed a 1-0 win over Kazakhstan which moved Stanislav Cherchesov’s men eight points ahead of their beaten opponents.
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Dutch double for Babel
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The Netherlands backed up their stunning 4-2 win over Germany in Hamburg last Friday by thrashing Estonia in Tallinn, as Ryan Babel scored his maiden international double.
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Memphis Depay, making his 50th Netherlands appearance, grabbed the third goal, with Liverpool’s Georginio Wijnaldum also finding the net.
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Ronald Koeman’s side still have work to do to reach a first major finals since making the 2014 World Cup semi-finals, though, as they trail second-placed Northern Ireland by three points in Group C, albeit with a game in hand.
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The Euro 1988 winners next host the Northern Irish on October 10 in a crucial encounter.
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“I’m no longer one of the younger players in the team, so I try to compensate for the loss of speed by using my experience,” the 32-year-old Babel told NOS TV.
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Germany lead the group standings after edging to a nervy 2-0 victory in Belfast.
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Marcel Halstenberg’s brilliant volley broke the deadlock shortly after half-time in a tense encounter, and Serge Gnabry gave Joachim Loew’s men breathing space in injury-time.
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“After the defeat against Holland, we were under pressure today and had to overcome some difficulties,” said Germany boss Loew.
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Croatia stumble
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Earlier on Saturday, Croatia suffered a setback in their qualifying campaign as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Azerbaijan in Baku.
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The 2018 World Cup runners-up took an early lead through a Luka Modric penalty, but the hosts hit back with Tamkin Khalilzade’s brilliant 72nd-minute equaliser to claim their first point in Group E.
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Leaders Croatia are only ahead of third-placed Hungary, who they host on October 10, by one point, with Slovakia second on head-to-head record after winning 2-1 in Budapest.
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Wales are three points further back, but having played a game fewer.
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“It wasn’t a good match for us, especially the second half when we didn’t take any chances,” coach Zlatko Dalic told television channel HRT.
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Azerbaijan, coached by Croatian Nikola Jurcevic, remain rooted to the foot of the table.
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Elsewhere, North Macedonia kept their hopes of reaching a maiden major tournament alive with a 2-0 win in Latvia.
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The Balkan nation sit fourth in Group G, but are only three points behind second-placed Slovenia after their dramatic 3-2 win over Israel, with Austria two points better off in third following a goalless stalemate at leaders Poland.
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