Euro qualifiers: Austria progress; Belgium-Sweden tie suspended midway

Belgium had already qualified for Euro 2024 while Sweden's chances of a top-two place had been ended by Austria's victory earlier

Brussels: Substitute Marcel Sabitzer scored from the penalty spot shortly after entering the game to secure a 1-0 win for Austria at Azerbaijan and send his country to next year’s European Championship in a day overshadowed by a deadly shooting in Brussels which saw Belgium’s game against Sweden halted at halftime.

“Due to the incidents in Brussels earlier tonight, play is suspended. Our thoughts are with all those affected,” a post from the Belgian national team read on X, formerly known as Twitter.

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European soccer governing body UEFA confirmed the Group F match had been called off following consultation with both teams and local police.

The score was 1-1 at the time. Viktor Gyokeres gave Sweden a 15th-minute lead, but Romelu Lukaku had Belgium level just after the half-hour.

Belgium had already qualified for Euro 2024 while Sweden’s chances of a top-two place had been ended by Austria’s victory earlier.

After losing 3-2 to Belgium in Vienna last week in the fight for Group F supremacy — Austria’s only defeat in seven qualifying games so far — Sabitzer and his teammates knew a win in Baku would secure a spot at the tournament hosted by Germany.

With several key players sidelined because of injuries, Austria struggled to create real chances in the first half. It was awarded a penalty just minutes into the second half after a hand ball. Sabitzer was clinical in converting with a strike into the corner in the 48th.

Sabitzer, who plays for Borussia Dortmund, recently returned to competition after recovering from an adductor injury he picked up last month in a Champions League match against PSG. Austria finished with 10 men after striker Guido Burgstaller was sent off in stoppage time for a second yellow card.

Austria became the seventh team to qualify after Belgium, France, Portugal, Scotland, Spain and Turkey, along with host Germany.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice for Portugal in a 5-0 demolition of host Bosnia in Group J. Bruno Fernandes, Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix also scored with all goals coming in the first half.

Netherlands came away from Greece with a 1-0 win in Group B to revive its hopes. Virgil Van Dijk’s penalty in second-half stoppage time sent the Netherlands above their opponents and into second in their group. Both have 12 points. Wout Weghorst earlier failed to convert his penalty. “We do not have a specialist for penalties, corners and free kicks,” said Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman. “When Virgil was behind the ball for the second one, I suddenly thought Surely it won’t be one of those evenings when this one goes wrong too.” But Virgil took it well and decided the match.” Ireland thrashed Gibraltar 4-0 in the group’s other game. France has already qualified from Group B.

Shooting incident in Brussels

The Euro 2024 qualifier match between Belgium and Sweden was abandoned at half-time after two Swedes were shot dead in Brussels before the game, UEFA said.

The shooting took place around 45 minutes before kick-off and three miles (5km) from the King Badouin stadium, targeting three people at the junction of Saincteclette and the Boulevard du Neuvieme de Ligne, in the centre of Brussels. Two persons died in this incident. A third victim, a taxi driver, is said to be out of danger, according to Belgium’s National Crisis Centre.

Sweden manager Janne Andersson confirmed the players had asked for the game to be abandoned when they heard about the shooting at half-time. At half-time, the game stood at a 1-1 draw when a decision was made to halt the match. Fans were instructed to stay within the confines of the King Baudouin Stadium until security clearance allowed them to depart.

“Following a suspected terrorist attack in Brussels this evening, it has been decided, after consultation with the two teams and the local police authorities, that the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying match between Belgium and Sweden is abandoned. Further communication will be made in due course,” UEFA said in a statement.

The National Crisis Centre raised the terror alert in Brussels to the highest level after a man claimed himself, in a social media video, as the attacker and also claimed to be inspired by Islamic State. During the same message, the Swedish nationality of the victims was cited as a possible motive for the act. At present, there is no indication that the attack is linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, National Crisis Centre said. Agencies