Three penalty shoot-outs, Georgia's victory over Belarus and the Serbs' success: how the playoff matches of Euro 2020 qualification ended

Hungary's two set goals and Sigurdsson's double

The rival of the Russian national team in the group stage of the League of Nations - Hungary - made it to the final of the qualification of Path A for the right to play at Euro 2020.

Marco Rossi's charges defeated Bulgaria 3: 1 on the road.

It is curious that the hosts surpassed the rival both in the number of shots (11: 8) and in the number of shots on target (5: 4), but still lost.

Standard provisions helped the guests to win.

In the first half, Willie Orban made a clear header after a corner kick.

And at the start of the second half of the meeting, the Bulgarians missed a curious ball from Zsolt Kalmar after a direct free kick.

Finally, all questions about the outcome of the meeting were removed by the replacement Nemanja Nikolic.

In the time remaining before the final whistle, the Bulgarian national team managed only to score a goal of prestige through the efforts of Georgi Yomov.

For a ticket to Euro 2020 in the "group of death" to Portugal, France and Germany, the Hungarian team will compete with Iceland, which was stronger than Romania at home - 2: 1.

The latter added to the number of host countries of the continental championship that will not take part in the tournament.

At the same time, Mirela Redo's wards lost on the case - in 90 minutes of the match, they delivered only one shot on target.

Alexandru Maxim converted a penalty after an hour of the meeting.

By this point, the hosts have distinguished themselves twice.

Both goals were scored by Everton midfielder Gilfi Thor Sigurdsson.

First, having gathered around himself several opponent's defenders, he carefully rolled the ball into the near corner, and then, having received a pass in the penalty area, calmly shot into the far corner.

It is also worth noting that CSKA defender Herdur Magnusson played the whole game as part of the Vikings.

Vishchi's miss and Rodak's save

In the playoffs of Path B qualifying, the matches were much more intense, and the winners were determined only on penalties.

Northern Ireland, four years ago for the first time in history, took part in the final stage of the European Championship, quite unexpectedly outplayed Bosnia and Herzegovina at a party.

Moreover, in the League of Nations-2018, the teams played in the same group, and then the Bosnians beat the opponent twice (2: 1, 2: 0).

The reporting match started well for the Balkans.

Already in the 13th minute, Milan midfielder Rade Krunic opened the scoring after a pass from the front.

However, the hosts failed to develop the advantage, and at the beginning of the second half, Niell McGinn restored the balance on the scoreboard.

As a result, everything was decided in a penalty shootout, the main character of which was the Northern Irish goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

At the beginning of the football lottery, he aroused the anger of Miralem Pjanic, who, after a penalty kick was realized, kicked the ball into the Burnley goalkeeper and then parried Haris Hayradinovic's kick.

Edin Višća, who came next to the ball next to the Bosnians, missed the target.

The Irish were inaccurate only once.

Thus, the national team of Bosnia and Herzegovina with Pjanic and Edin Dzeko again lost the chance to break into a major tournament.

The final of Path B could have turned into a derby, but Ireland lost on penalties to Slovakia.

Moreover, in this meeting, the rivals did not manage to print each other's gates before the final whistle, although they created a number of dangerous moments.

In the penalty shootout, the Slovaks' nerves turned out to be stronger, having realized all four of their attempts, while the Irish - only two.

An excellent match was played by the winners' reserve goalkeeper Marek Rodak, who replaced the injured Martin Dubravka.

Scotland's first penalty shootout win and Norman's debut goal for the national team

One of the finalists of the qualification in Path C was determined in the penalty shootout. The national teams of Scotland and Israel in 120 minutes did not manage to hit each other's goal.

It is curious that in total they struck 29 hits, but only one of them hit the target.

Moreover, the owners, who, due to the coronavirus, were left without three leading performers (Stuart Armstrong, Kieran Tierney and Cyrus Christie), almost snatched the victory after filing the last corner.

Liam Cooper hit the post from close range with his head.

But in the penalty shootout, the Scots were still stronger.

They implemented all five attempts, and the opponent - four.

Moreover, the main scorer of the Israelis, Eran Zahavi, did not score, whose blow was parried by David Marshall. 

The Scots, as journalist Simon Chambers writes, won a penalty shootout for the first time in their history.

Now from making their way to the final stage of the European Championship for the third time, they are separated by the match with Serbia.

The Balkans defeated the young Norwegian team with Martin Edegor and Erling Holland in their playoff semifinals on the road - 2: 1.

The more experienced team of Lyubisha Tumbakovich immediately seized the advantage, but the teams exchanged sharp episodes.

So, closer to the break, Aleksandar Mitrovic miraculously missed the empty goal at close range.

However, a few minutes before that, the defender cleared the ball off the line after Holland's shot at point-blank range.

In the second half, Serbia continued to attack, but managed to open an account only when the main star of the team, Sergei Milinkovic-Savic, appeared on the field.

The Lazio midfielder came on as a substitute ten minutes before the end of normal time and sent the ball on target with the first touch.

Soon the Norwegians managed to recoup.

The debut goal for the Scandinavians was scored by Rostov's footballer Matthias Normann.

However, in extra time, Tumbakovich's wards still snatched the victory.

Milinkovic-Savic scored a brace, scoring a truly beautiful goal.

From close range, he unexpectedly threw the ball over the goalkeeper, who had already begun to fall back.

Saves of Hatkevich and the success of 37-year-old Pandev

It was very interesting to watch the qualification in Path D as well, because all four of its participants have never taken part in a major tournament.

And in one of the confrontations, two teams from the post-Soviet space - Georgia and Belarus - met.

Until recently, the meeting in Tbilisi was under threat of disruption due to the deteriorating epidemiological situation in the country, but nevertheless it took place, albeit with empty stands.

And the guests lost one of their leaders Stanislav Dragun due to a dubious test for coronavirus.

As a result, the hosts, who were considered favorites, opened the scoring already in the seventh minute.

Former Krasnodar midfielder Tornike Okriashvili earned a penalty and converted it himself.

In the future, Vladimir Weiss's charges could more than once strengthen the advantage, and the most active in their ranks was Rubin's midfielder Khvich Kvaratskhelia.

But the experienced goalkeeper of "Isloch" Yegor Khatkevich acted above all praise at the last line.

The Belarusians practically did not get to the other's gates and did not manage to deliver a single blow on target.

The most dangerous moment in the middle of the second half was missed by the substitute Dmitry Podstrelov, who with the first touch struck above the goal from the goalkeeper's line.

But the Kosovars, who decently held the qualifying tournament for Euro 2020 and almost made it to the final stage directly from the group with England and the Czech Republic, lost to North Macedonia in the semi-finals of Path D away - 1: 2.

Moreover, the main star of Macedonian football, 37-year-old striker Goran Pandev, spent 80 minutes on the field as part of the winners.

At the end of his career, the veteran retains the chance to go to the first major tournament as part of his native team.