Denmark, Switzerland seal Euro 2020 spots at Ireland’s expense, Latest Football News - The New Paper
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Denmark, Switzerland seal Euro 2020 spots at Ireland’s expense

Denmark and Switzerland secured their spots at Euro 2020 at the expense of Ireland in Group D yesterday morning (Singapore time).

Ireland needed to beat Denmark in Dublin to clinch qualification for next year's 24-team European Championship Finals, but Matt Doherty's late header was only enough to earn Mick McCarthy's men a 1-1 draw at the Aviva Stadium.

A closely fought contest, low on technical quality, swung the visitors' way when the unmarked Martin Braithwaite stuck out a boot to divert a Henrik Dalsgaard cross into the net on 73 minutes.

Doherty equalised five minutes from time, but Denmark held on to clinch second place in the group behind Switzerland.

Said Ireland manager McCarthy: "They have been brilliant. We lost one game out of eight. I am very proud of them. We can beat anyone in the play-offs."

Switzerland, meanwhile, secured top spot with a 6-1 away win against minnows Gibraltar as Cedric Itten scored twice.

Granit Xhaka, Ruben Vargas, Christian Fassnacht and Loris Benito also found the net for the Swiss, with Reece Styche grabbing Gibraltar's consolation goal. - AFP

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