WHILE a select quartet of Europe’s heavyweights battle for the Nations League crown this week, Germany, England, Portugal and Denmark will train their sights on locking down a place at next year’s World Cup in Qatar.
European champions Italy, Spain, France and Belgium take centre stage contesting the Final Four in Milan and Turin, but five of the 10 automatic World Cup qualifying spots could be secured come next Tuesday.
Denmark appear the most likely to complete the job, knowing wins over Moldova and Austria will secure top spot in Group F. Kasper Hjulmand’s Euro 2020 semi-finalists are the only country with a 100 per cent record. Denmark have scored 22 goals in six games without reply, and thrashed Moldova 8-0 at home in the reverse fixture.
Four-time world champions Germany have bounced back from a shock loss to North Macedonia in March, surging four points clear in Group J after Hansi Flick began his reign last month with three wins from three, including a 6-0 thumping of Armenia.
“The games I’ve seen have been super. I was in Stuttgart for the game against Armenia, and the game, the goals and the atmosphere were all top tier,” said Bayern Munich forward Thomas Mueller.
“We’ve got some good momentum going into these games, so we want to keep that going.” Germany can avenge their defeat by the Macedonians on 11 October in Skopje, three days after the visit of Romania — one of four teams realistically still in contention.— AFP
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