Daka, Souttar & Iheanacho Impress - Wrapping Up November’s Internationals

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Daka, Souttar & Iheanacho Impress - Wrapping Up November’s Internationals

Qualification, goals and tournament selection were all on the agenda for Leicester City players across the final international window of the calendar year.

2023-11-22T15:02:00.000Z

by Sam Jones

Published

22 Nov, 2023

Daka, Souttar & Iheanacho Impress - Wrapping Up November’s Internationals

Qualification, goals and tournament selection were all on the agenda for Leicester City players across the final international window of the calendar year.

Sam Jones

2023-11-22T15:02:00.000Z

Daka, Souttar & Iheanacho Impress - Wrapping Up November’s Internationals

Qualification, goals and tournament selection were all on the agenda for Leicester City players across the final international window of the calendar year.

Sam Jones

2023-11-22T15:02:00.000Z

Daka, Souttar & Iheanacho Impress - Wrapping Up November’s Internationals

Qualification, goals and tournament selection were all on the agenda for Leicester City players across the final international window of the calendar year.

Sam Jones

2023-11-22T15:02:00.000Z

Daka, Souttar & Iheanacho Impress - Wrapping Up November’s Internationals

Qualification, goals and tournament selection were all on the agenda for Leicester City players across the final international window of the calendar year.

Sam Jones

2023-11-22T15:02:00.000Z

While the qualifying stages for UEFA EURO 2024 is almost complete, attention has turned to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Africa and Asia, with qualification for the global tournament commencing across both continents this month.

A productive week for Patson Daka saw the forward score three in two games as Zambia began their World Cup African qualifying campaign with a win and a defeat, sitting fourth in Group E, one of a quartet of teams on three points.

Netting the first and final goals of the 4-2 victory over Congo at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium last Friday, City’s No.20 was again on the scoresheet during a 2-1 reverse against Niger at Stade de Marrakech in Morocco on Tuesday.

Australia defender Harry Souttar also scored in victories over both Bangladesh and Palestine to boost the Socceroos’ hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

Opening the scoring in a 7-0 defeat of Bangladesh in Melbourne last Thursday, the centre-back then broke the deadlock at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium on Tuesday, heading home his 10th international goal on his 22nd cap.

Playing 90 minutes in both fixtures, Souttar helped to keep two clean sheets, maintaining Graham Arnold’s side’s position at the top of Asian qualification Group I, on six points from their inaugural two matches.

Fellow centre-back Jannik Jannik Vestergaard assisted Denmark’s winning goal in the 2-1 victory over Slovenia last week, playing 90 minutes before appearing from the bench in a 2-0 defeat away to Northern Ireland on Monday.

Kasper Hjulmand's Danes had already secured their spot at UEFA EURO 2024 having won seven of their 10 qualifying fixtures to top Group H on 22 points and concluded their qualifying campaign with just a second loss in Belfast.

Vestergaard was introduced in the 61st minute at Windsor Park, while Victor Kristiansen - currently on loan at Bologna - started for De Rød-Hvide. Foxes shot-stopper Mads Hermansen was an unused substitute in both matches.

Elsewhere in European qualifying, Wout Faes also registered an assist for Belgium, who, like Denmark, had already sealed a place in the finals prior to their last two qualifiers. Involved in back-to-back home victories, the Foxes centre-back played the second half of the Red Devils’ 1-0 success over Serbia at OH Leuven's King Power at Den Dreef Stadion.

He then started the resounding 5-0 win against Azerbaijan, delivering a superb cross for Romelu Lukaku to head home one of his four goals of the evening, maintaining a second consecutive clean sheet at the other end of the pitch for Domenico Tedesco’s team, who top Group F, remaining unbeaten throughout.

Danny Ward's Wales, meanwhile, will have to wait to see if they can reach next summer’s European Championships in Germany after two successive 1-1 draws with Armenia and Turkey respectively.

The Leicester goalkeeper played throughout both stalemates, which mean that Rob Page's side finish third in UEFA qualification Group D, on 12 points from eight fixtures, and head into the play-offs to battle it out for a spot at EURO 2024.

Back in Africa, Nigeria commenced their World Cup qualifying campaign with successive 1-1 draws. Kelechi Iheanacho captained his country in their opening fixture against Lesotho at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium last Thursday, before scoring the equaliser in the stalemate with Zimbabwe.

On as a half-time substitute in Butare, the forward produced a left-footed strike on 67 minutes to see the Super Eagles move onto two points and sit third in Group C.

Over in Group I, Abdul Fatawu was introduced late on for Ghana, who fell to a 1-0 defeat to Comoros. An unused substitute in a victory over Madagascar, the City loanee played the final 10 minutes at Stade de Moroni on Tuesday. Chris Hughton's side are fourth, on three points from two World Cup qualifiers.

Young midfielder Cesare Casadei featured in two EURO U21 Championship qualification matches for Italy Under-21s, who picked up four points to remain top of Group A, on 11 points from five games.

The Chelsea loanee started and played almost an hour in an emphatic 7-0 win over San Marino at Stadio Olimpico Di Serravalle, before featuring throughout the second half of a 2-2 draw with Republic of Ireland Under-21s.

Staying with U21 EURO 2025 qualifying, Development Squad forward Chris Popov came off the bench twice for Wales Under-21s, who currently sit second in Group I, with eight points from five games.

A late substitute as the youngsters defeated Iceland 1-0 at Rodney Parade, he was involved from half-time in a 2-1 reverse to Denmark Under-21s in Newport.

Main image: @FAZFootball.

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