EURO2024Q: Night of braces! Ronaldo, Lukebakio, Mbappe score two each

France beat the Netherlands 2-1 to book their ticket to Germany with two European Championship Qualifiers to spare, while also winning an away head-to-head encounters for the fourth time in 14 attempts.

Didier Deschamps’ men faced a Dutch side including two debutants plus another two making their first start and gave the new faces a harsh introduction to international football. Just seven minutes in, some wonderful link-up play culminated in Jonathan Clauss clipping in a cross that Kylian Mbappé reached ahead of Lutsharel Geertruida and sent past Bart Verbruggen, quickly refinding his clinical touch after four matches without a goal for Paris Saint-Germain.

The Netherlands still hung on and carved out a massive chance when Denzel Dumfries linked up with Tijjani Reijnders before cutting the ball back for Joey Veerman. Even though the midfielder missed the target, that moment gave the hosts a lift while Xavi Simons also brought some excitement with two attempts. Ronald Koeman suffered a blow in the 38th minute, though, as Wout Weghorst came off after trying to play through his injury.

Hope initially remained with Quilindschy Hartman’s shot almost being spilled by Mike Maignan before the break, while Donyell Malen’s attempt took a deflection off Lucas Hernández after it. That was soon relinquished, as Mbappé played a one-two with Adrien Rabiot and sent a simply exquisite effort soaring out of Verbruggen’s reach for his sixth goal of the qualifying campaign. To compound the hosts’ frustrations, Nathan Aké played the ball across for a simple finish from Malen but had been offside.

Hartman had shown intent throughout his debut and was rewarded in the 83rd minute when he linked up with Steven Bergwijn and fooled Maignan to become the first person to score against France this campaign. Despite that goal and Mbappé’s strike hitting the crossbar, Les Bleus saw out the win to continue their perfect record in the qualifiers to confirm their place in Germany for 2024. The Netherlands, meanwhile, have plenty of work to do as they meet Greece on Monday sitting three points behind Gus Poyet’s side, although they do have a game in hand as they look to secure second spot in Group B.

Elsewhere, a drenched Estádio do Dragão crowd witnessed Portugal seal their place in next summer's Euro 2024 tournament after an entertaining 3-2 victory over Slovakia. The result extends the hosts' impressive form to seven consecutive European Championship qualifying wins.

Having struck nine past Luxembourg without reply last time out, the return of record goalscorer Cristiano Ronaldo provided the hosts with even more ammunition against their nearest challengers in Group J. The Seleção mounted early pressure on Slovakia, but it was the visitors who first came close to scoring first, as António Silva deflected a cross towards his own goal, forcing Diogo Costa to push the ball onto the woodwork.

Grateful for that reprieve, Portugal punished Slovakia in the 18th minute, as Bruno Fernandes - who moments earlier had forced Martin Dúbravka into a superb save - drifted an inch-perfect cross onto the head of Gonçalo Ramos, who finished beyond Dúbravka.

The Manchester United midfielder came agonisingly close to scoring one himself, only to be denied by more brilliance from Dúbravka. However, the Slovakian shot-stopper was unable to prevent the hosts from doubling their lead before the half-hour mark, when Ronaldo netted his 124th international goal with a calmly taken penalty after a handball from Denis Vavro in the area.

While Portugal found themselves in the ascendancy, the manner in which Slovakia took the game to the hosts after the break certainly called for caution. Portugal were left to rue two clear-cut missed opportunities from Ronaldo and Ramos to triple their lead, when Dávid Hancko’s shot from distance took a big deflection and nestled into the bottom corner.

Undeterred by conceding their first qualifying goal in seven matches, the hosts bounced back to restore their two-goal lead just three minutes later, as Ronaldo found himself on the end of a well-driven cross from Fernandes to tap into an empty net. It would take more than Ronaldo to dampen Slovakian spirits though, with Stanislav Lobotka’s piledriver into the corner setting up a fascinating finale. However, it proved little more than a consolation, as Portugal held firm to deny Dúbravka and his side a hard-earned share of the spoils.

A first away defeat in this qualifying campaign leaves the visitors stuck in second spot, just two points above dark horses Luxembourg. Nevertheless, hopes of making it to just a fourth major tournament in their history remain very much alive with three games to go. Meanwhile, Portugal seal their place at next summer’s showdown tournament with a pitch-perfect qualification record, remaining unbeaten since losing to Morocco in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Meanwhile, in Vienna, Domenico Tedesco’s Belgium side qualified for their third consecutive European Championships after a dramatic contest against Group F opponents Austria, which saw the visitors come close to surrendering a three-goal lead.

A tight and edgy first half which had chances for either side was punctuated by a goal from Dodi Lukebakio 12 minutes into the contest. Weaving in and out of the Austrian defence, the 26-year-old attacker waltzed his way into the penalty area, before whipping a left-footed strike into the far corner of Alexander Schlager’s goal. The Sevilla forward had endured a mixed international career in the past, but on what was his 11th cap for the Red Devils, Lukebakio was able to net his first-ever Belgium goal. Delivering it in stylish fashion too, the early strike was all that separated the two sides at the break.

However, having been forced to wait over 400 minutes of international football for his maiden Belgium goal, less than 45 minutes later, Lukebakio had a second to his name. While there may have been a touch of fortune with this one, the former Hertha Berlin star’s long-range strike took a knick off Austria defender Nicolas Seiwald, which deflected it beyond a helpless Schlager between the sticks.

Now in the groove, an in-form Romelu Lukaku needed little invitation to get his name on the scoresheet moments later. Benefitting from Jérémy Doku’s blitzing run from deep, Lukaku’s first-time strike had too much power for goalkeeper Schlager. With what was his 78th goal for Belgium, the dominative striker overtook Pelé’s tally of 77 international strikes, an indication of his worth for the European nation over the years.

Three goals in front and seemingly cruising through to next year’s European Championships, it looked as if Belgium would leave Vienna following a simple night’s work. However, in the final 20 minutes things took a slight turn for the worse, with a curling Konrad Laimer strike from 20 yards out reducing the arrears somewhat. While they may have still trailed by a two-goal margin, Austria would gain a numerical advantage moments later, when Amadou Onana saw red for a crunching second-yellow card offence on Xaver Schlager.

As if there hadn’t been enough drama in the second half, a late but lengthy VAR check would eventually rule in favour of the home side, after Arthur Theate was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the box. Striding up to the spot with confidence, substitute Marcel Sabitzer converted the penalty with ease, setting up a nervy final 15 minutes for both sides. Ultimately though, it would prove a mountain too big for the Alpine nation to climb, but it’s nonetheless a showing which will worry Tedesco heading into next summer’s Euros.

EURO 2024 QUALIFIERS

Thursday

Latvia - Armenia 2-0 (1-0)

/Ikaunieks 39, Balodis 68/

Cyprus - Norway 0-4 (0-1)

/Sorloth 33, Haaland 65, 72, Aursnes 81/

Andorra - Kosovo 0-2 (0-1)

/Rashica 26, 71/

Belarus - Romania 0-0

Croatia - Turkey 0-1 (0-1)

/Yilmaz 30/

Spain - Scotland 2-0 (0-0)

/Morata 74, Sancet 86/

Faroe I. - Poland 0-2 (0-1)

/Szymanski 4, Buksa 65/

Albania - Czech R. 3-0 (1-0)

/Asani 9, Seferi 51, 73/

Friday

Estonia - Azerbaijan 0-2 (0-2)

/Bayramov 9, Sheydayev 45+4/

Portugal - Slovakia 3-2 (2-0)

/Ramos 18, Ronaldo 29 pen, 72 - Hancko 69, Lobotka 80/

Netherlands - France 1-2 (0-1)

/Hartman 83 - Mbappe 7, 53/

Iceland - Luxembourg 1-1 (1-0)

/Oskarsson 23 - Rodrigues 46/

Austria - Belgium 2-3 (0-1)

/Laimer 73, Sabitzer 84 pen - Lukebakio 12, 55, Lukaku 58/

Liechtenstein - B&H 0-2 (0-2)

/Rahmanovic 13, Stevanovic 41/

R.Ireland - Greece 0-2 (0-2)

/Giakoumakis 20, Masouras 45+4/

Saturday

16.00: (1.65) Ukraine (3.90) Macedonia (6.25)

16.00: (1.02) N.Ireland (22.0) San Marino (95.0)

19.00: (1.58) Bulgaria (3.90) Lithuania (7.25)

19.00: (1.95) Slovenia (3.50) Finland (4.40)

21.45: (2.75) Hungary (3.20) Serbia (2.85)

21.45: (1.18) Denmark (8.50) Kazakhstan (16.0)

21.45: (1.03) Italy (20.0) Malta (95.0)

***odds are subject to change***