2023-10-14 20:53:55
Thanks to Benjamin Sesko, Slovenia is still on track towards the 2024 European Football Championship finals in Germany. The striker, who moved from Salzburg to Leipzig in the summer, almost single-handedly secured the 3-0 win against Finland in Ljubljana on Saturday with a brace (16’/penalty, 28′). Denmark is equal on points in Group H after a clear 3-1 win against Kazakhstan. In Pool C, Italy and Ukraine celebrated mandatory victories as England’s pursuers were tied on points.
Sesko took responsibility early in Slovenia’s seventh qualifying game and converted a penalty. Goalie Lukas Hradecky had sensed the corner, but was unable to save it. Five minutes later, the 20-year-old knocked down Robert Ivanov in a header duel, who fell uncontrollably to the ground and hit Sesko in the back of the head with his foot. This resulted in a longer break in treatment, but the attacker was able to continue with a head bandage. His goal-scoring spirit remained intact.
After a through pass from Andraz Sporar, Sesko used his speed, evaded the Finnish defense and shot in dry. The striker has scored eight times in the last eleven of his 23 international matches. After the break, highlights were in short supply for a long time. In stoppage time, Erik Janza added the third goal after a corner. Only then did Sturm Graz player Jon Gorenc-Stankovic play for the winners. The Slovenians, like the Danes, celebrated their fifth victory; for the Finns and Kazakhs, the third defeat in an extremely balanced group was a setback.
The two teams are now four points behind the two European Championship fixed tickets. A goal from “Joker” Yan Vorogovskiy (58th) was the only result for Kazakhstan in Copenhagen. The hosts were successful thanks to goals from Jonas Wind (36th) and Robert Skov (45th + 1, 48th).
In Pool C, Italy showed no weaknesses in beating Malta 4-0. Giacomo Bonaventura (23rd) shot the favorite in Bari in front, Domenico Berardi made everything clear with a brace (45th + 1, 64th). Davide Frattesi scored the final point (93′). Ukraine stayed in step with the second-placed “Squadra Azzurra”, while North Macedonia were defeated 2-0 in Prague. Italy and leader England, who are three points ahead, have played one game less. The eagerly awaited direct clash will take place in England on Tuesday.
In Group G, Hungary took another step in the fight for first place with a 2-1 win against Serbia. Former Mattersburg kicker Barnabas Varga (20th) and Roland Sallai (34th) ensured that the Hungarians were three points ahead of their pursuers, who also played one more game. For the Serbs, a header from Salzburg defender Strahinja Pavlovic (33′), immediately before the second goal, was not enough to take anything away from the Puskas Arena in Budapest. This also annoyed Salzburg’s Petar Ratkov, who was substituted in the 84th minute.
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