Albania and its Brazilian coach Sylvinho are going to the European Championship next year.
Veteran forward Sokol Cikalleshi’s 25th-minute penalty helped secure a 1-1 draw for Albania at Moldova on Friday to clinch a spot at Euro 2024 in Germany with one round to spare in its qualifying group.
Moldova equalized in the 87th, but a point was enough for Albania to ensure a top-two finish in Group E.
Moldova 0 – 1 Albania pic.twitter.com/apOJfyZapu— Mimoza Kusari (@mimozakusari) November 17, 2023
Follow all the action from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 including the World Cup schedule, World Cup 2023 results, and ICC Cricket World Cup points table. Players are vying to top the World Cup 2023 Most Runs and World Cup 2023 Most Wickets charts.
Group-leading Albania has outperformed higher-ranked Poland and the Czech Republic to ensure it will play at just a second Euros after debuting at the 2016 edition.
Albania is the 12th country to confirm its place at the 24-team tournament.
Albania moved three points ahead of the second-place Czechs but four points clear of Moldova and Poland who each have just one game left.
Poland and star forward Robert Lewandowski play their final game later Friday at home against the Czechs and look destined for the qualifying playoffs in March.
Albania’s qualification effort began with a 1-0 defeat in Poland in March but they have since gone unbeaten, winning four games and drawing twice to reach 14 points, and can secure top spot with a win at home against lowly Faroe Islands on Monday.
Sylvinho, the former Arsenal and Barcelona left-back, has found success after lasting less than a year at his previous jobs coaching Lyon and Corinthians.
He was appointed in January and has led Albania on a seven-game unbeaten run after starting qualifying with a 1-0 loss at Poland in March.
ALBANIA QUALIFY FOR EURO 2024 Albania have qualified for just their 2nd major tournament in their history after drawing 1-1 with Moldova. Coached by former Barcelona defender Sylvinho, ‘The Eagles’ qualify ahead of higher ranked and .pic.twitter.com/XItJPDNJl3
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) November 17, 2023
READ: Euro 2024 Qualifiers: Italy Inch Closer To Qualification With 5-2 Rout Over North Macedonia
Albania hosts the Faeroe Islands in its final group game on Monday.
Moldova are now in third place, level on 10 points with Poland and a point behind Czech Republic, and can still qualify.
They next face the Czechs away on Monday but if the Czech Republic win Friday’s other group game with Poland in Warsaw then Moldova’s qualification dreams will be over.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - Associated Press)