Scotland upsets Spain, Croatia wins, Belgium beats Germany

By: The Associated Press Posted: 4:51 PM CDT Tuesday, Mar. 28, 2023

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Scott McTominay scored twice as Scotland upset Spain 2-0 in qualifying for the European Championship on Tuesday, its first win in 39 years over one of soccer’s biggest heavyweights.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/03/2023 (1285 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

McTominay’s goals came after he also scored two in a 3-0 win over Cyprus on Saturday and ended Spain’s 19-game unbeaten run in European qualifiers. The result also puts Scotland top of Group A with six points from two games.

Mateo Kovačić also scored twice as Croatia defeated Turkey 2-0 away for its first win in Group D.

Belgium players celebrate their win against Germany in front of Belgium spectators after the end of the international friendly soccer match between Germany and Belgium in Cologne, Germany, Tuesday March 28, 2023. The match ends 2-3. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Romania and Switzerland both won in Group I, continuing their perfect starts.

A look at the Euro 2024 qualifying games across Europe on Tuesday:

GROUP A

Spain’s players were warned after McTominay scored two late goals in Scotland’s opening win over over Cyprus.

But few expected him to do it again Tuesday against a team that had not lost a European qualifying game since a 2-1 loss to Slovakia ahead of the 2016 tournament. Spain had not lost to Scotland since Maurice Johnston scored two and Kenny Dalglish added another in a 3-1 World Cup qualifier in November 1984.

New Spain coach Luis de la Fuente made eight changes to the lineup to the team that started Euro 2024 qualifying with a 3-0 win over Norway. Joselu went closest for the visitors when his header hit the crossbar midway through the first half.

Georgia and Norway drew 1-1 in the other group game.

GROUP D

Croatia was forced to rely on goalkeeper Dominik Livaković to deny Turkey’s Cengiz Ünder and Kerem Aktürkoğlu early on in Bursa.

Kovačić opened the scoring from close range in the 20th and nabbed the second just before the break.

Kieffer Moore scored just before halftime for Wales to beat 1-0 in the other group game.

GROUP I

Switzerland earned a 3-0 win at home over Israel, giving coach Murat Yakin his second qualifying victory from two games after its 5-0 win over Belarus in Serbia on Saturday.

Romania defeated Belarus 2-1 to maintain its winning start, while Kosovo and Andorra drew 1-1.

FRIENDLY RESULT

Kevin De Bruyne steered Belgium to a 3-2 friendly win over Germany in new coach Domenico Tedesco’s return home.

De Bruyne set up both opening goals then sealed the victory just as Germany was threatening an equalizer after recovering from a very poor opening half hour.

It gave Tedesco, the former Leipzig and Schalke coach, a second win from his first two games after his team started Euro 2024 qualifying with a 3-0 win in Sweden last week.

___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports