2024 Euro Qualifiers: Scotland eye three points to seal berth 

Scots top Group A with a six-point advantage on second-placed Spain who have a game in hand

Seville October 12 dmanewsdesk: Scotland have surprised everyone in the 2024 Euro Qualifiers, managing a perfect record of five wins out of five in a tricky group with Spain and Norway also in it.

The Scots top Group A with a six-point advantage on second-placed Spain who have a game in hand.

They are also eight points above third-placed Norway, meaning they have all but secured a place in the continent’s flagship tournament next year in Germany.

However, their perfect record will be put to the ultimate test when they travel to Estadio Olimpico de Sevilla to take on Spain. Three points will seal their place and it will be hige achievement.

Scott McTominay warmed up for Thursday’s match with two late goals for Manchester United on Saturday.

The midfielder is a surprise name toward the top of the scoring charts in European qualifying, with only Romelu Lukaku ahead of him with eight goals. McTominay is in second place along with United teammate Rasmus Hojlund with six goals so far.

Spain have won all their remaining games with their 0-2 loss in Scotland representing their lone slip-up in the qualifying campaign.

Since then, La Furia Roja boosted the confidence by winning their first Uefa Nations League title after a victory over Croatia on penalties in the final.

Head coach Luis de la Fuente can be especially satisfied with his team’s attacking displays in last month’s matches, with Spain bagging 13 goals in commanding victories over Georgia and Cyprus.

Spain and Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal has withdrawn from the national team squad due to a hip injury. Villarreal winger Yeremy Pino has also been forced to withdraw due to a hamstring problem, while Dani Olmo, Pedri, Marco Asensio and Jose Gaya are other absentees who continue to recover from injury.

Cristiano Ronaldo is on the brink of leading Portugal to another major soccer tournament less than a year after his international career appeared to be over.

It wasn’t clear what the future held for the five-time Champions League winner when he walked away from Manchester United last November and was then dropped by his country as they made an early exit from the World Cup in Qatar.

His move to Saudi Arabia wasn’t exactly a guarantee of success, but Ronaldo has proven he is far from done. On Friday, Portugal can secure their place at next year’s Euro.

A win against Slovakia on Friday will guarantee qualification and, if Ronaldo is selected, the chance for him to repeat his 2016 triumph with Portugal at the tournament.

It will be a personal triumph for Ronaldo, who insisted his career wasn’t over after leaving Europe behind to join Al Nassr last December.

Not only has he been the catalyst for a slew of biggest names, such as Neymar and Karim Benzema, following him to the Saudi league, but he has helped Portugal to their best-ever performance in a European qualifying campaign with six wins from six matches in Group J.

Source: The Telegraph online