Italy secured redemption by qualifying for the upcoming European Championship on November 21, joining Slovenia and the Czech Republic who also clinched their spots. Following the match against Moldova, Czech coach Jaroslav Silhavy resigned shortly after the final whistle.
They only needed a draw against Ukraine to secure the second spot in Group C and avoid the playoffs, and they achieved just that with a 0-0 draw in Germany. Despite the successful outcome, there were tense moments for the Azzurri. Having missed qualification for the last two World Cups, losing in playoffs to Sweden and North Macedonia, Italy managed to bounce back after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup by winning the subsequent European Championship.
"We are very happy. We are where we deserve to be, after all the difficulties that we had," Italy captain and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma said. "But thanks to the new coach and the staff we have returned.
"Now it's right that we go there and we go there to bring back something, even to win it because we are going there as winners."
If Ukraine had won, they could have surpassed Italy, but now they are set to enter the playoffs. England, already secured in the top spot of the group, ended their campaign unbeaten with a 1-1 draw against North Macedonia.
A single point was sufficient for both Slovenia and the Czech Republic to qualify for Euro 2024. They secured victories against Kazakhstan and Moldova, respectively, dashing their opponents' hopes of automatic qualification for a major international tournament.
Kazakhstan still have an opportunity through the playoffs, facing Greece in a semifinal on March 21, and if successful, playing against either Georgia or Luxembourg five days later.
The top two teams from each of the 10 groups progress and an additional three spots will be determined in a playoff linked to performances in the Nations League. Host Germany automatically qualifies.
Late Drama
Ukraine expressed frustration over a decision in stoppage time, as a potential penalty for a perceived trip on Mykhailo Mudryk by Bryan Cristante went unnoticed.
In the first half, Federico Chiesa, Giovanni di Lorenzo, and Davide Frattesi all squandered promising opportunities for Italy. Goalkeeper Donnarumma made a crucial save against Mudryk to prevent Ukraine from taking the lead, but his misjudgment from a long throw allowed Mudryk an opportunity.
This marked the first time in over 13 years that Italy failed to score in a European Championship qualifier.
The game took place at Bayer Leverkusen's stadium, the current leader in the Bundesliga. This arrangement was due to Ukraine's inability to host international matches at home for security reasons amid the ongoing military invasion by Russia. Russia have been excluded from Euro 2024 qualifying.
In a friendly match on November 20, Russia dominated against Cuba with an 8-0 victory, featuring goals from eight different players. This outcome fell just short of their record 9-0 triumph over San Marino in the Euro 2020 qualifying matches.
Coach Quits
Silhavy resigned shortly after guiding his team to a 3-0 victory over a 10-man Moldova. The 62-year-old, who had been at the helm for five years, revealed that the decision had been made before the match.
Albania, not content with merely qualifying for its second major tournament, secured the top spot in Group E by playing to a 0-0 draw against the Faeroe Islands. This allowed Albania to finish ahead of the Czech Republic, thanks to a superior head-to-head record.
Before the match in Tirana, there were fireworks, and fans displayed a large banner that read: "God is Albanian."
A quarter century
Slovenia are set to participate in the European Championship for the first time in almost 25 years. A late goal from Benjamin Verbic secured a 2-1 victory over Kazakhstan, marking Slovenia's qualification for the tournament for the first time since Euro 2000.
Denmark, already assured of finishing at the top of Group H, suffered a 2-0 defeat away to Northern Ireland.
Pyry Soiri netted two goals, leading third-placed Finland to a 2-1 victory in San Marino.
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