European summer awaits

As Europe prepares to celebrate the 60^th anniversary of the Euros in the summer of 2020 with the competition spread around the continent, the group stage reached its conclusion. Sweden received their invitation to the party after a 2-0 victory in Romania while Eden Hazard scored twice as Belgium cemented their superiority over Russia and top spot in the football rankings brushing their hosts aside 4-1 in Saint Petersburg and the Czechs ended their successful campaign with a disappointing 1-0 loss in Bulgaria. Cristian Martinez scored twice for Andorra who enjoyed a rare point with a 2-2 draw in Albania while France came from behind on home soil to get past Moldova 2-1 thanks to a late penalty and Turkey drew blanks at home to Iceland. Greece defeated their Armenian hosts 1-0 while Scotland picked up a 2-1 win in Cyprus and Austria were stunned 1-0 in Latvia.

The World Cup qualifiers continued in Asia where Suan Lam Mang scored twice for hosts Myanmar who got the better of Tajikistan 4-3 for whom Manuchehr Dzalilov also netted twice, but the Tajikistanis salvaged some pride with a 1-1 draw away to Kyrgyzstan days later. North Korea were defeated 3-1 in Turkmenistan while Saudi Arabia were 3-2 winners in Uzbekistan with the help of Salman Alfaraj and Thailand lost 2-1 in Malaysia. Yemen had mixed fortunes in Bahrain where they beat Palestine 1-0 but lost 2-1 to Singapore 5 days later while Bahrain themselves drew 0-0 away to Hong Kong.

The shock of the month happened in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers where Gambia triumphed 3-1 in Angola with Assan Ceesay netting a brace for the visitors while Khama Billiat scored twice as Zimbabwe won 2-1 in Zambia and Madagascar ran out 6-2 winners in Niger with Lalaïna Nomenjanahary scoring a double for the Malagasy. Ethiopia celebrated a 2-1 win over Ivory coast while Cameroon were held to a goalless draw at home to Cape Verde and Morocco were 3-0 winners in Burundi. Togo were stunned 1-0 by their visitors from Comoros before drawing 1-1 in Kenya while Guinea Bissau lost 3-0 in Congo and 10-man Sao Tome and Principe were beaten 4-0 in Sudan. Guinea drew 2-2 in Mali and in the CONCACAF Nations League the most noteworthy result was the 1-0 defeat of Barbados to Saint Martin in Anguilla.