Denmark and Albania advance to European Championship 2024

GENEVA: Denmark and Albania advanced to the European Championship on Friday and title-holders Italy got a crucial win ahead of a showdown game against Ukraine.

Italy beat North Macedonia 5-2 to both avenge their elimination in the 2022 World Cup qualifying playoffs and ensure they need only a draw against Ukraine on Monday to secure a place at Euro 2024 in Germany. At stake is second place behind group winners England, who beat Malta 2-0 Friday.

Robert Lewandowski and Poland must go through the playoffs in March after a 1-1 draw at home to the Czech Republic ended its chance of advancing directly with group leader Albania.

Albania kicked off earlier needing only a point in Moldova to secure their Euro 2024 place and did just enough in a 1-1 draw.

Denmark ensured they will finish top of Group H by beating closest rival Slovenia 2-1 thanks to a 54th-minute goal by midfielder Thomas Delaney.

That set up another decisive final game Monday: Slovenia host Kazakhstan needing only a draw to return to the Euros for the first time since 2000. Kazakhstan, which beat San Marino 3-1, have never qualified for a major tournament.

England secured their place last month and a 2-0 win over Malta at Wembley Stadium was routine, as was Harry Kane scoring his 25th goal in a prolific season for England and Bayern Munich.

The only surprising moment of drama was Kane being shown a yellow card after he was adjudged to have dived in the penalty area.

England are on course to be among the group winners with the best records who will be in the pot of top-seeded teams when the Euro 2024 tournament draw is made on Dec. 2 in Hamburg.

Including Denmark and Albania, 13 countries have now qualified for the 24-team tournament, and eight more