Not just Cristiano Ronaldo’s brace. This break for the national teams, with Serie A and other national leagues just started and already on the ice for two weeks, is giving unexpected emotions and results. Given also the proximity to the European Championship that has just ended, which has set its sights on some national teams. First of all Italy, champion of the tournament, which tonight will face Bulgaria at 20.45 at the Franchi in Florence. A fort: so far 22 wins, 7 draws and no defeats. And if the positive streak is confirmed, the Azzurri will beat an all-time unbeaten record, with 35 games without defeat. The great Brazil of the years 1993-1996 succeeded, equaled between 2007 and 2009 by the super Spain that won everything.
But there was no shortage of surprises in these first outings of the World Cup qualifiers in Qatar. Starting from the Cr7 record, 111 goals with the Portugal shirt and solitary record in the ranking of scorers of all times with the national team thanks to the two goals that allowed the Lusitanians to win against Ireland. In the same group Luxembourg won over Azerbaijan (2-1). In group D the match between France and Bosnia ends in a draw (1-1): in Strasbourg everything happens in the first half with the Bleus who, with Griezmann, fresh back to Atletico, replicate the great goal of Inter Milan Dzeko. At the beginning of the second half, ten hosts for the expulsion of Koude. In the same group, another surprise: Kazakhstan and Ukraine close at 2-2. Draw (1-1) also between Norway and Holland in Group G with the back and forth between Haaland and Klaassen, and between Turkey and Montenegro (2-2). Latvia drops the trio to Gibraltar (3-1). Victory for Denmark, who remain with full points by beating Scotland (2-0) in Group F, in the same group Israel drops poker at home to the Faroe Islands and Austria conquers Moldova 2-0.
In group F Denmark wins again, regulating Scotland with a sharp 2-0 thanks to goals from Wass and Maehle. Successes also for Israel (4-0 at home to the Faroe Islands), Malta (3-0 against Cyprus), Latvia (3-1 in Gibraltar) and Luxembourg (2-1 in Azerbaijan) and Austria, which wins in Moldova (2-0, goals by Baumgartner and Arnautovic). Montenegro (Marusic’s goal) signs the 2-2 in Istanbul in full recovery. In the afternoon 2-2 between Kazakhstan and Ukraine, with the guests who let Valiullin catch up in the 96 ‘after having been ahead twice thanks to Yaremchuk (2’) and Sikan (93 ‘). In group H, goalless goals between Russia and Croatia (0-0), a draw between Slovenia and Slovakia (1-1) and Malta’s success over Cyprus (3-0).