NETHERLANDS SNATCH LATE WIN; PORTUGAL STAY PERFECT; IRELAND CRUISE

The latest round of Euro 2024 qualifiers continued on Monday with action in Groups B, F and J.

Here’s what went down.

Netherlands leave it late against Greece

Scorers: Van Dijk (PEN) 90+3′

The Netherlands kept their Euro 2024 qualification hopes intact with a smash-and-grab win over Greece.

Ronald Koeman’s side won a first-half penalty when Konstantinos Koulierakis pulled Virgil van Dijk at a corner but Wout Weghorst’s poor effort was saved.

Redemption arrived in the third minute of added time when Vangelis Pavlidis’ clumsy challenge on Denzel Dumfries saw a second spot kick awarded.

Van Dijk stepped up to comfortably dispatch as he sent Odysseas Vlachodimos the wrong way to secure a priceless win for the Dutch.

Greece head coach Gus Poyet was sent off in the throes of added time for remonstrating with officials as VAR scrutinised a potential third penalty for the visitors.

Belgium-Sweden abandoned after Brussels attacks

Scorers: Lukaku (PEN) 31′; Gyökeres 15′

Belgium’s Group F encounter with Sweden was suspended midway through following a fatal double shooting in Brussels.

Viktor Gyökeres broke the deadlock at the King Baudouin Stadium with a solo effort after Johan Bakayoko lost possession in the visitors’ half.

The Red Devils pulled level thanks to a well-drilled Romelu Lukaku penalty as Orel Mangala was tripped in the area by Filip Helander.

But the decision was taken at half-time to abandon the match in light of events in the Belgian capital just hours earlier.

Portugal make it a perfect campaign

Scorers: Ronaldo (PEN) 5′, 20′, Fernandes 25′, Cancelo 32, Félix 41′

Portugal rounded off a flawless Group J campaign with an eight straight win against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring for Roberto Martínez’s side from the penalty spot after João Félix’s goal-bound attempt struck the hand of Adrian Barišić.

The 38-year-old doubled his tally just 15 minutes later through a dinked finish from Félix’s through pass to take his qualifying haul to nine goals from seven games.

From thereon, the Seleção turned on the style with Bruno Fernandes meeting Gonçalo Inácio’s ball over the top before volleying in from close-range.

João Cancelo added a fourth just seven minutes later when he met Fernandes’ cutback at the byline to power home from just inside the penalty area.

Félix joined his fellow Barcelona loanee on the scoresheet late in the first half with an outside-of-the-foot finish after Otávio had teed him up.

But Portugal failed to build on their emphatic lead after the interval as Martínez began to withdraw several of his leading figures as the game wore on.

Ireland rack up the goals against Gibraltar

Scorers: Ferguson 8′, Johnston 28′, Doherty 61′, Robinson 80′

The Republic of Ireland comfortably dispatched of Gibraltar in their inconsequential Group B meeting.

Stephen Kenny’s side took an early lead when Evan Ferguson arrived to meet Matt Doherty’s right-sided cross with an instinctive finish.

The Boys in Green went further ahead through Mikey Johnston stabbing home another low Doherty delivery after his initial effort hit the post.

Doherty added a goal in his own right after the interval with a stooping header from Jamie McGrath’s initial near-post effort from a corner.

Substitute Callum Robinson extended Ireland’s lead in the 80th minute by meeting McGrath’s cross from the left with a glancing header.

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