🇪🇺 Croatia beat Wales to Euro spot; Greece stun France; Dutch hit six | OneFootball

The final automatic qualification spot for Euro 2024 was up for grabs on Tuesday plus lots of other drama.

Here is what went down across Europe.

Croatia edge Armenia to qualify

Scorer: Budimir 43′

Croatia claimed the final automatic qualification spot after a slim win over Armenia at home.

Knowing what was on the line the hosts largely dominated the match but a compact visiting defence kept things deadlocked.

Despite six first-half efforts on target, it was Armenia who almost opened the scoring but goalkeeper Dominik Livaković made a vital save one-on-one.

Then the breakthrough moment arrived just before the half-time whistle when an unmarked Ante Budimir headed home Borna Sosa’s cross.

The second half continued to be a nervy affair and Croatia managed to hang on and secure second in their group above Wales.

Wales heartbroken against Turkey

Scorer: Williams 7′; Yazici 71′

Wales just missed out on an automatic qualification spot after a 1-1 draw with Turkey and other results.

The hosts took the lead in the blink of an eye thanks to a moment of individual brilliance from Neco Williams.

Nottingham Forest’s young talent picked up the ball on the left wing, drove into the box and struck the ball into the far right corner beyond a diving Uğurcan Çakır.

Yet thanks to earlier slip-ups, their fate was out of their hands. And a late penalty from Yusuf Yazici then all but broke Wales’ hearts and they finished third in the group.

France hungover in Greece

Scorer: Bakasetas 56′, Ioannidis 61′; Kolo Muani 42′, Fofana 74′

Following a historic thrashing of Gibraltar, France were left stunned in Athens to see their perfect run end.

Perhaps fatigue played a role, or the match not featuring an early red card, but Didier Deschamps’ side appeared to be hungover from their previous performance.

The opening goal didn’t arrive until just before the break when Randal Kolo Muani picked up the ball on the right side of the box and rifled the ball into the net from a tight angle.

Greece then capitalised on France’s slow start and two quick goals turned the match around in front of raucous fans.

The visitors failed to clear the ball in the box and it eventually fell to Anastasios Bakasetas whose long-range effort beat a diving Brice Samba and then Fotis Ioannidis stabbed home a loose ball minutes later.

But a stunning strike from Youssouf Fofana saved Les Bleus from losing, as things ended all square.

Netherlands hit six

Scorers: Stengs 10′, 50′, 62′, Wieffer 23′, Koopmeiners 38′, Gakpo 81′

Feyenoord fans will love what they saw as the Netherlands hit six past Gibraltar.

Calvin Stengs will grab the headlines as he netted his first senior goal and then went on to score a hat-trick for the visitors within an hour.

He is the first Dutch player to register a hat-trick in an away game on the international stage since Klaas Jan Huntelaar in 2010.

Fellow Feyenoord team-mate Mats Wieffer also earned his first senior goal via a thumping header while Teun Koopmeiners and substitute Cody Gakpo also got on the scoresheet.

Other results…

Bring on the playoffs!