Key events
FULL TIME: Turkey 3-1 Iceland. Slovenia’s Benjamin Šeško wasn’t the only hat-trick hero this evening: step forward Turkey’s Kerem Aktürkoğlu.
FULL TIME: Norway 2-1 Austria. A late winner for Erling Haaland but a worrying ankle injury for Martin Ødegaard.
FULL TIME: Romania 3-1 Lithuania. Two wins out of two for the Romanians.
FULL TIME: Montenegro 1-2 Wales
In retrospect, the job was done after two-and-a-half whirlwind minutes. But Montenegro had their chances afterwards, and will wonder how they didn’t at least earn a point. The Craig Bellamy revolution continues apace!
Montenegro 1-2 Wales. Craig Bellamy’s side are holding on with just over a minute of additional time to play.
FULL TIME: Israel 1-2 Italy. The Azzuri take control of Group A2.
FULL TIME: Slovenia 3-0 Kazakhstan. Benjamin Šeško, somewhere in a parallel universe a star of BBC Forces radio, is tonight’s hat-trick hero.
GOAL! Romania 3-1 Lithuania (Mitriță 90+2). Ionuţ Mitriță makes sure for Romania. So close and ultimately so far for tonight’s underdogs.
GOAL! Turkey 3-1 Iceland (Aktürkoğlu 88). Kerem Aktürkoğlu completes his hat-trick to seal the deal for the hosts in Izmir.
GOAL! Israel 1-2 Italy (Abu Fani 90). It’s not quite over in Budapest yet. Mohammad Abu Fani reduces Israel’s arrears just as injury time comes around.
GOAL! Romania 2-1 Lithuania (Marin 87 pen). The visitors were this close to claiming a shock point in Bucharest. But then Lithuanian captain Justas Lasickas fouls Ianis Hagi in the box, VAR gets involved, and Răzvan Marin converts.
GOAL! Norway 2-1 Austria (Haaland 83). Erling Haaland didn’t get a shot on target against Kazakhstan on Friday. He hadn’t had one tonight, either … until now. Some stories write themselves. This dude is a force of nature.
France 2-0 Belgium. Kylian Mbappé barrels down the left this time, and very nearly plants a low drive across Koen Casteels and into the bottom right. Inches wide of the post. The man looks in the mood to prove a point.
Montenegro 1-2 Wales. “This has been riotous entertainment so far,” writes David Bowen. “Could easily have been 5-2 to Montenegro on another night. The goal was definitely coming and Montenegro look likely again. This is where Craig Bellamy earns his corn to keep him in box-fresh trainers and high-end bomber jackets.”
France 2-0 Belgium. Kylian Mbappé is on for France, and already causing Belgium problems. His powerful run down the inside-right channel ends with a fierce shot from a tight angle that Koen Casteels does well to block and turn around the post. Nothing comes from the resulting corner.
Norway 1-1 Austria. Some worrying news for Arsenal (and indeed Norway) fans. “Ødegård had to leave the match with what looked like a serious ankle injury,” reports Henning Reinton. Looks like he was carted off the pitch in tears, unable to put much, if any, weight on his leg. God speed, Martin.
GOAL! Montenegro 1-2 Wales (Camaj 73)
Yes, well, sorry for mentioning that. The hosts finally find the net, and it had been coming. A simple enough goal, Nikola Krstović turning the Welsh defence and chasing a long punt down the right, drawing Karl Darlow, then crossing for Driton Camaj to slam into the open goal.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales. Montenegro must be wondering how they’ve not scored tonight. Stevan Jovetić sends a diving header towards the bottom right, but Karl Darlow somehow shovels it around the post, and nothing comes of the corner. Craig Bellamy may be proving himself a football genius since taking over as Wales boss, but he’s also leading something of a charmed life tonight.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales. Another close thing for the hosts. Vladimir Jovović takes a speculative whack from 25 yards, the shot pinging off the inside of the left-hand post and away. That’s the second time Montenegro have rattled the frame of Karl Darlow’s goal. The ball rebounds to Nikola Krstović, who should slot into an unguarded net from six yards, Darlow having launched himself towards the initial shot, but somehow skies over the bar. Krstović’s blushes are spared, sort of, when the flag pops up correctly for offside.
GOAL! Slovenia 3-0 Kazakhstan (Šeško 63). It’s that man again! Again! Benjamin Šeško completes his hat-trick, getting on the end of Ronald Frankau’s Erik Janža’s free kick.
GOAL! France 2-0 Belgium (Dembélé 57)
Ousmane Dembélé has copped plenty of stick for a lack of end product. But he delivers here. He sashays in from the right flank and sends a rising, swerving shot into the top-left corner from just inside the box. The hosts on course to bounce back from the disappointing Italy defeat.
GOAL! Israel 0-2 Italy (Kean 62). Fiorentina’s Moise Kean doubles the Azzurri’s lead. Italy will be taking control of Group A2 tonight, because in the section’s other game …
Montenegro 0-2 Wales. A huge chance for Montenegro to halve the Welsh lead. A cross looped in from the left. Stefan Mugoša is all alone, ten yards out, but can only send a weak downward header miles wide right.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales. Brennan Johnson cuts in from the left and, despite having three red shirts around him, manages to unleash a rising shot that heads towards the top-left corner and stings home keeper Milan Mijatović’s hands. Fine football all round.
GOAL! Turkey 2-1 Iceland (Aktürkoğlu 52). Kerem Aktürkoğlu, formerly of Galatasaray and newly signed by Benfica, scores his second of the evening to restore the hosts’ lead.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales. A couple of Montenegro corners in quick succession. Wales deal with them easily enough, but they’re sitting back and inviting trouble. Everything happening in the visitors’ half. It’s still tipping down, as well.
France 1-0 Belgium. The hosts begin the second period looking for another goal. All the play in the Belgium half, but the visitors are holding them at arm’s length right now. The final ball lacking.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales. The hosts have started the second half as they ended the first: on the front foot but unable to find a way through. There’s also a spot of bother for Neco Williams, who is booked for his part in a brouhaha over a throw-in with Miloš Brnović. The Montenegro player goes into the notebook as well.
The matches have restarted all across Europe. “It’s still pouring down here in Nikšić but the Montenegro FA have kindly allocated us seats in the only stand with a roof,” reports Wales fan Alun Pugh. “The locals are getting a drenching out in the open. We are singing ‘we’re covered in’ as a thank you. This might not go the 90 minutes given the rain as the ball is not rolling properly. 0-2 flatters us. Jam side up indeed.”
More half-time entertainment. “Nice unexpected Tommy Handley reference,” begins Sam Bain, one of the geniuses behind Peep Show, I’ll be bound. “My grandfather Ronald Frankau was in a comedy double act with him called Murgatroyd and Winterbottom. Although if he had been in a double act with Benjamin Sesko, they probably would have scored a lot more goals.”
Well that’s this evening’s internet rabbit hole sorted. I defy anyone not to splutter out loud when their faces first appear at the start of this clip. Magnificent.
Half-time entertainment. Some astute international observations courtesy of Argentina’s Jonathan Wilson.
The half-times
A2
France 1-0 Belgium
Israel 0-1 Italy
B3
Slovenia 2-0 Kazakhstan
Norway 1-1 Austria
B4
Montenegro 0-2 Wales
Turkey 1-1 Iceland
C2
Cyprus 0-4 Kosovo (F)
Romania 1-1 Lithuania
