World Cup qualifiers

ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC’S international comeback continued in style as the veteran striker produced an outrageous backheel assist for Sweden on Sunday.The superstar, 39, set up his country’s winner in their 1-0 World Cup qualifying win against Georgia last week after five years away from the international scene.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic bagged two assists for Sweden – including a brilliant backheel flickCredit: EPA
And AC Milan icon Ibrahimovic was at it again in Sunday night’s 3-0 victory against Kosovo.
His incredible backheel assist set Sweden on their way to victory, with Ludwig Augustinsson latching on to it in the 12th minute for the first goal.
Ibra doubled his assist tally by setting up Andre Isak in the 35th minute, before Seb Larsson’s 70th minute penalty sealed the result.
Meanwhile, Robert Lewandowski scored his 24th and 25th goals of 2021 in Poland’s 3-0 win against Andorra, with Karol Swiderski also netting.
Bayern Munich star Lewandowski has now hit the target in his last ten games for club and country.
And he has six more goals this year than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues, with Barcelona’s Lionel Messi next on 19.
Elsewhere, Anthony Martial got an assist for France in their 2-0 win against Kazakhstan.
But the Manchester United star limped off injured to give his club another headache.
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Robert Lewandowski scored his 24th and 25th goals of 2021 playing for PolanCredit: Getty
⚽️🇵🇱 Robert Lewandowski has now scored in each of his last 10 games for club & country, his second such run in the last year— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) March 28, 2021

Martial set up Ousmane Dembele in the routine win, with Sergiy Maliy scoring an own-goal as Kylian Mbappe missed a penalty.
Fellow giants Spain survived a scare against Georgia as Dani Olmo’s 92nd minute strike earned a late 2-1 win.
Georgia were leading 1-0 before Ferran Torres equalised in the 56th minute.
Anthony Martial set up Ousmane Dembele for France but later came off injuredCredit: Reuters
Dani Olmo’s 92nd minute strike secured a comeback win for SpainCredit: Getty
And RB Leipzig’s Olmo popped up at the death to complete the comeback before Georgia were reduced to ten men.
Germany beat Romania 1-0 thanks to Serge Gnabry’s 16th minute strike, making it 15 goals in 19 international games for the Bayern ace.
And Italy overcame Bulgaria 2-0, with goals coming from Andrea Belotti and Manuel Locatelli.
Serge Gnabry kept his fine international form going with another goal for GermanyCredit: Getty
Andrea Belotti was on target as Italy recorded a routine winCredit: AFP
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CRISTIANO RONALDO ‘set a bad example’ with his ‘unacceptable behaviour’ against Serbia, according to former Portugal international Fernando Meira.Ronnie threw his captain’s armband to the ground as he stormed off the pitch having had a late winner disallowed in the 2-2 draw.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s strop against Serbia ‘set a bad example’Credit: AFP
The Portugal skipper stormed off the pitch and threw his captain’s armband to the groundCredit: AFP
Ronaldo, 36, was left furious with Danny Makkelie and his Dutch team of officials when he failed to allow the clear winner.
The Juventus forward tucked home under the goalkeeper and the ball clearly rolled over the line before Serb skipper Stefan Mitrovic hooked it away – and then saved the rebound.
But with no goal-line technology, the goal did not stand.
Ronaldo let rip at the assistant who did not flag – and was duly booked.
But Portugal were left to settle for a 2-2 draw in their World Cup qualifier in Belgrade.
And the Juve ace lost his head, gesticulating and throwing his armband of the floor as he steamed down the tunnel.
Ronnie had every right to feel aggrieved and ref Makkelie even apologised for the gaffe.
But former Portugal international Meira was not impressed.
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He said: “It’s clearly a goal, but Ronaldo can’t throw the armband on the ground like that.
“Cristiano’s reaction is natural, but it’s not acceptable from the national team captain.
“You can’t throw the armband on the ground and head into the dressing room while the game is still going on.
“It’s not acceptable behaviour for a player of his stature.
“I understand his frustration and I agree with him because his goal should have counted, but the referees need to make a decision without VAR and he has to set an example.
“But the example he set last night wasn’t good enough.”
Ronaldo defendeded his actions after the game when he wrote online: “Being Portugal captain is one of the biggest privileges and honours of my life.
“I give and always will give everything for my country and that will never change.
“But there are sometimes difficult moments we have to face, above all when we feel the whole nation is being affected.
“It’s time to pick ourselves up and look forward to the next challenge. Come on Portugal!”
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CHELSEA starlet Armando Broja claims the decision to snub England for Albania was ‘easy’.The hotshot Blues striker, 19, will line up against Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions for Sunday’s World Cup qualifier in Tirana.
Chelsea striker Armando Broja has no reservations snubbing England for AlbaniaCredit: Getty
The starlet, 19, is currently on loan at Vitesse Arnhem where he has ten goalsCredit: Getty
Broja, currently on loan at Vitesse Arnhem where he has ten goals in 26 games, was born in Slough to Albanian parents.
And he chose to represent them in 2019 after being called up to Albania’s U19s squad.
Broja made his senior international debut last year and has picked up three caps.
He is looking to earn his fourth against England on Sunday.
And Broja says it was an ‘easy decision’ to turn down the Three Lions in order to represent Albania at the highest level.
The teen, who made his senior Chelsea debut last season under former boss Frank Lampard, told Goal: “It is a big decision when you choose your country to play for.
“I went for it because I have got Albanian blood in me, I am Albanian, my parents are Albanian so it was an easy decision.
“I thought I would love to make the people there proud and make my parents proud.
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“I wanted to lift Albania up as a country to get us to the World Cup or Euros. That’s the biggest thing for them.
“If we got to the World Cup, it would be crazy and we would make history.
“We have never got there before so it would be something crazy as a country.
“I have a lot of family in Albania and I visited there every year so it is really a big part of my life.”

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JOHN McGINN’S spectacular overhead kick salvaged a crucial point for Steve Clarke’s Scots.Just when it looked as if Austria’s version of Peter Crouch was about to condemn Scotland to their first home defeat in a World Cup qualifier since 2013!

John McGinn’s stunning bicycle kick salvaged a draw for Scotland against AustriaCredit: Reuters
Stuttgart’s 6ft7″ striker Sasa Kalajdzic produced a towering performance at Hampden, helping himself to a double to open his international account in his third appearance for his country.
But the giant striker was cut down to size by pint-sized John McGinn who saved his side with a stunning bicycle kick five minutes from full-time.
It was the Aston Villa ace’s first goal in nine games for his country and it couldn’t have come at a more crucial time as the Scots were on the brink of a disastrous opening defeat.
But yet again, Super John McGinn rode to the rescue as he underlined his value to Steve Clarke with his eighth goal in 16 appearances for his manager – Scotland’s top scorer since Clarke took charge.
However Gareth Southgate’s spies will have seen nothing here to spook them ahead of Scotland’s visit on Euro Championship business in June.
Franco Foda’s improving Austria are currently 25 places above 48th placed Scotland in Fifa’s world rankings and it showed when the visitors dominated for large periods.
But they passed up a string of chances until Kalajdzic pounced when David Marshall spilled Florian Grillitsch’s low shot to fire the visitor’s in front 10 minutes after the break.
Forgotten Scot Grant Hanley equalised eight years after his first and last goal for his country with a powerful header after 71 minutes.
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McGinn popped up in the 85th minute to play the role of late hero for Steve Clarke’s menCredit: Getty

But Scotland looked doomed when Kalajdzic headed past Marshall with 10 minutes left.
That was until McGinn’s late magic left the Tartan Army head over heels. 
And the strike is sure to have also left them with renewed vigour for Sunday’s tough clash against Israel.
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NOBODY is quite sure what the most farcical aspect of this World Cup campaign will be.That the finals are being held in Qatar or that England must play four matches against rank amateurs, during a global pandemic when non-essential travel is supposed to be banned.
Ollie Watkins scored on his debut as England beat San Marino 5-0 in their first World Cup qualifierCredit: Getty
Dominic Calvert-Lewin netted twice in the Wembley rompCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

Still, it will be a World Cup campaign like no other – beginning in an empty Wembley, ending in the desert in winter.
And England began it by defeating the worst team on Earth, a San Marino side who have never won a competitive game of football, in passable fashion.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored twice, James Ward-Prowse and Raheem Sterling one apiece and Ollie Watkins netted a debut goal.
All the while, Harry Kane would have been quietly seething on the bench, knowing he could have made significant inroads on Wayne Rooney’s England scoring record had he been allowed to join in.
But let’s face it, it wouldn’t have thrilled your Nanna or your Auntie Vi – as Southgate said he’d hoped to do in his pre-match press conference.
This was an exercise in bayoneting sandbags, nothing more.
None of this is the fault of Southgate or his players, nor the opposition, who defended obdurately, especially in the second half.
You can only beat what’s in front of you – even if the opposition resembled some sort of Jim Henson creation.
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James Ward-Prowse opened the scoring with his first-ever England goalCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Raheem Sterling kept his fine form going with a well-taken finishCredit: Getty

It will get tougher than this for England in this group – San Marino is a hill with a castle on it, while Andorra is a couple of actual mountains. And Fraggle Rock hasn’t yet been recognised by FIFA.
In Albania on Sunday, Southgate’s men will actually have to play against some professional footballers.
We could pretend to tell you what the England manager would have learned from this – that Nick Pope can stay awake for 90 minutes relatively late in the evening without anything to occupy him.
Southgate would have liked to have seen more ruthlessness and more composure, in front of goal.
But we know full well that he will learn far more from any given training session.

Ward-Prowse opened the scoring after 14 minutesCredit: Andy Hooper-The Daily Mail
Calvert-Lewin doubled England’s lead not long afterCredit: Reuters
Had England amassed double figures, it would tell us nothing about their capability of beating Croatia here when the Euros get under way in June.
Even Southgate didn’t dare to play a back five against this lot – the first pub team allowed to play competitive football in England this year – and a team who probably wouldn’t even be able to beat Liverpool at Anfield right now.
With no fans, no contest, no drama or intrigue, it genuinely must have been difficult for Southgate’s men to stay switched on.
Yet with a tournament coming up this summer, this was at least a chance for players to prove they can cope with boredom – so often an Achilles heel for England squads of the past.
San Marino did actually manage to frustrate England for 14 minutes – though England largely frustrated themselves.
Sterling had the Three Lions three up after half an hourCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Calvert-Lewin bagged his second of the night in the 53rd minuteCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Sterling fluffed two glorious headed chances, Jesse Lingard had a shot pushed away by the heroic visiting keeper Elia Benedettini and John Stones shinned over the bar from four yards when scoring would have been easier.
But finally the opener arrived when Ben Chilwell cut back for Ward-Prowse to steer home.
He celebrated with an exuberant golf swing and while it was his first goal for England, a polite shake of hands would have sufficed.
The second was a trademark Calvert-Lewin header from a trademark Reece James cross – a goal which could have been practiced against cones on a training ground, which is pretty much what happened at Wembley.
Benedettini, who certainly never wants for action in his role, made another excellent stop from a Chilwell long-ranger.
Watkins will never forget the moment he netted his first Three Lions goal in the 83rd minuteCredit: Kevin Quigley-The Daily Mail
Jude Bellingham impressed after coming on as a second-half subCredit: Getty
San Marino then, inadvisably, attempted to play it out from the back, straight to Mason Mount, who fed Sterling, three defenders falling at his feet as he drilled in from an angle.
It was Sterling’s fifth attempt on goal – he’d left Lingard screaming in the centre when he greedily attempted a solo goal earlier.
Then, absolute scenes, as San Marino won a corner – which they wasted. Swiftly followed by an attacking free-kick, also squandered.
Southgate made four half-time subs – Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, Kieran Trippier and Tyrone Mings on for Sterling, Mount, James and Stones.
Lingard soon set up Calvert-Lewin to tap home his second and England’s fourth.
Phil Foden was also introduced and had a lively outingCredit: Getty
Gareth Southgate will now turn his attention to Sunday’s game in AlbaniaCredit: EPA
Spoilsport Southgate wouldn’t let the Everton centre-forward complete his hat-trick – sending on Aston Villa’s Watkins for his debut.
It is a moment any footballer dreams of – yet rather devalued against non-leaguers in front of 90,000 empty seats.
Ward-Prowse was given the opportunity to curl home a 25-yard free-kick – as he often does for Southampton – but Benedettini touched it on the post, as many Premier League keepers have failed to do.
Then, a lovely moment for Watkins, who accepted a pass from the scampering Foden to guide home his shot.
Nobody, except the San Marino keeper, will remember much about this night, if and when England arrive in Qatar in November 2022 for the sharp end of this campaign.
That we have to sit through three more matches like this, against San Marino and Andorra twice, really is an extraordinary waste of everybody’s time.
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