Historic Day in Moldova as Euro 2024 Qualification Hangs in the Balance

Emotional Journey for Moldova in Euro 2024 Qualifiers

Despite the unfortunate victory of the Spanish team in Valladolid against Georgia, marred by the serious injury of Barcelona player Gavi, the qualifying phase for the German Euro 2024 also brings us stories full of emotion. Today could mark a historic day for Moldova as a victory would secure their place in German lands next summer.

A Miraculous Journey for Moldova

Their match against the Czech Republic will commence in Olomuc at 8:45 p.m. If Serghei Clecenco’s men emerge victorious, they will secure a spot in the draw and become the true miracle team of Europe. Moldova currently ranks 157th in the world according to the FIFA ranking, making them one of the seven weakest teams on the European continent. Only Andorra, Malta, Liechtenstein, Gibraltar, and San Marino are ranked lower.

Participating in League D of the Nations League, the lowest category, Moldova has not achieved promotion due to goal average with Latvia. Their most renowned player is Nicolaescu, who plays for the Dutch club Heerenveen.

However, their performance in the qualifying phase has been remarkable. They demonstrated against Poland that in football, anything is possible. Last June, they managed to overcome the Polish team, led by Lewandowski, with a memorable second-half comeback from 0-2 to secure a draw. Since then, Moldova has remained undefeated in the qualifiers, displaying unwavering faith and the guidance of their coach.

Leading the team from the bench is former Moldovan football player Serghei Clecenco, who has been in charge since 2021. As a player, Clecenco scored 11 goals in 69 international appearances, making him the team’s second all-time leading scorer. Now, he has the opportunity to make history in the Euro Cup, representing one of the poorest countries on the Old Continent.

Luxembourg’s Historic Achievement

Another team that could surprise is Luxembourg, although we will have to wait until March to see. In their recent qualifying match, a goal from Gerson Rodrigues with 21 minutes remaining secured them another victory. This win adds to their impressive performance in the qualifying phase, where they have already secured a spot in the play-off for access to Euro 2024 in Germany.

The “red lions” of Luxembourg have shown remarkable progress, accumulating a total of seventeen points in this qualifying phase, a record-breaking achievement for the team. With the exception of two games against Portugal, which resulted in severe defeats, Luc Holtz’s men have stood up to all their rivals in Group J.