Portugal beat Iceland to finish EURO 2024 quals with 100% win rate

By Can Erozden

Group winners Portugal, who have already secured a place at the UEFA EURO 2024, displayed a perfect performance during the qualifying phase, winning all their 10 matches ahead of next summer's major football tournament.

In the final matchday of qualifying Group J, Portugal beat Iceland 2-0 as Bruno Fernandes and Ricardo Horta scored for the hosts at Jose Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon on Sunday.

With 30 points, Portugal ended the group on top, scoring 36 goals and conceding two others.

Second-place Slovakia have 22 points. They bagged a ticket to the EURO 2024 finals after beating Iceland 4-2 last week.

- Spain win against Georgia, lose Gavi

Group A winners Spain beat Georgia 3-1 in Valladolid but were dismayed by key midfielder Gavi's shocking injury.

Barcelona and Spain star Gavi picked up the injury in the first half, leaving the pitch in pain.

"This is a very tough and very difficult moment. For the (Spanish) Federation, for me, for his friends. But above all for him and for his club. We're 'destroyed.' Football is a risk sport and this is the 'ugly' part of our sport," Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente said.

"We talked to Gavi. Initially, he thought it was just a bump. The first tackle probably wasn't where the damage was. It was when he was trying to walk it off that he felt the pain," De la Fuente said, adding that he only cared about his players' "health and wellbeing."

A serious knee injury could leave Gavi sidelined for the rest of the season.

Robin Le Normand and Ferran Torres scored for Spain before Georgia's own goal by Luka Lochoshvili. Napoli forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia tallied the only goal for Georgia, who will compete in the playoffs.

In addition to Portugal and Slovakia, Spain, Scotland, France, the Netherlands, England, Türkiye, Albania, Belgium, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Denmark, Romania and Switzerland have qualified for the EURO 2024 in Germany.

- Sunday's results:

Serbia - Bulgaria: 2-2

Hungary - Montenegro: 3-1

Belgium - Azerbaijan: 5-0

Sweden - Estonia: 2-0

Spain - Georgia: 3-1

Scotland - Norway: 3-3

Portugal - Iceland: 2-0

Bosnia Herzegovina - Slovakia: 1-2

Liechtenstein - Luxembourg: 0-1