MATCHDAY: Dutch look to recover quickly in Euro qualifiers

Updated Mar. 26, 2023 6:44 p.m. ET
Associated Press

A look at what’s happening in European Championship qualifying on Monday:

GROUP B

The Netherlands will look to quickly bounce back after its 4-0 rout by France. It hosts Gibraltar on Monday when it will expect to get straight back to winning ways. France travels to the Republic of Ireland, which beat Latvia 3-2 on Wednesday in a friendly, with Brighton forward Evan Ferguson further enhancing his growing reputation by getting on the scoresheet.

GROUP E

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Poland is smarting from an opening 3-1 loss to the Czech Republic as it prepares to host Albania. With two qualifying spots available in a group containing the Faroe Islands and Moldova, Albania is the main stumbling block for Poland in the group. For Albania, it's the opening game of qualifying. The Czechs travel to Moldova seeking another win to keep their advantage at the top of the group.

GROUP F

Zlatan Ibrahimović could miss Sweden’s match against Azerbaijan as the veteran forward has reportedly been training separately after feeling some discomfort. The 41-year-old Ibrahimović made a substitute appearance in Friday’s 3-0 loss to Belgium and it was thought he had become the oldest man to play in a European Championship qualifier but the record was taken the same day by Gibraltar striker Lee Casciaro, who is four days older. Azerbaijan opened its qualifying campaign with a 4-1 loss in Austria, which will be looking to make it two wins out of two when it hosts Estonia.

GROUP G

Serbia and Montenegro competed as a single country in the qualification campaign for 2004 but now face each other in the same group for the European Championship 20 years later. Serbia forward Aleksandar Mitrović scored three goals in two matches when they met in the 2018 Nations League. Serbia opened its qualifying campaign with a 2-0 win over Lithuania while Montenegro beat Bulgaria 1-0. Bulgaria visits Hungary.

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