Paris (AFP)
Three major football nations can claim Euro-2020 tickets on Thursday: the French world champions, Portuguese champions and promising English players share the same goal in the penultimate day of the playoffs, while six of 24 qualified are already known.
For Kylian Mbappé and his partners, a win against Moldova will be enough to get the ticket for the European Cup. But the Paris striker, back after two rallies missed by injury, may even have his qualification assured a few minutes before the kickoff, if Iceland does not beat Turkey.
The Turks, always ahead of the group H (in front of the French thanks to the game of the direct confrontations) are the best placed: a draw and they will see the Euro.
A draw against Montenegro is what England looks for after stalling in the Czech Republic in October (defeat 2-1).
But here too, if Kosovo does not win at home, even a defeat could be enough for Gareth Southgate's men, who were stranded for the game by striker Raheem Sterling, temporarily sidelined after an altercation with his compatriot Joe Gomez.
Finally, Cristiano Ronaldo - and his 95 goals in selection - will try to offer Portugal a dangerous qualification. The defending champions can no longer join Ukraine, qualified and assured of winning Group B, but a win against Lithuania could qualify them if Serbia does not win against Luxembourg.
Otherwise, CR7 will play big Sunday on the final day ... or in March, via the very last qualifying track, that of the barrages of the League of Nations, this new competition created after the last World Cup that offers four tickets for latecomers.
Six of the nations qualified for the next Euro (June 12-July 12) are already known: Belgium, Spain, Italy, Poland, Russia and Ukraine.
Thursday's match schedule (in Paris time / GMT):
Group A
(8:45 pm / 7:45 pm) England - Montenegro
Czech Republic Kosovo
Group B
(8:45 pm / 7:45 pm) Serbia - Luxembourg
Portugal - Lithuania
Group H
(18h00 / 17h00) Turkey - Iceland
(8:45 pm / 7:45 pm) France - Moldova
Albania - Andorra
© 2019 AFP