LONDON, 21 November 2003 — The Netherlands, Spain, Russia, Croatia and unheralded Latvia all clinched places in the finals of Euro 2004 following a night of drama and upset on Wednesday.
After a series of surprise first leg results on Saturday, four of the five favorites came through with varying degrees of safety in the second legs as the Dutch led the way thanks to a 6-0 demolition of Scotland in Amsterdam for a 6-1 aggregate win.
Spain put their nerves to one side after an unimpressive 2-1 victory over Norway on Saturday to win 3-0 in Oslo for a 5-1 aggregate success.
Russia, held to a goalless draw by Wales in Moscow in the first leg, won 1-0 in Cardiff to take their place in Portugal, while Croatia, also held to a draw on Saturday, beat Slovenia 1-0 away in the second leg to go through 2-1 on aggregate. But the biggest shock came in Istanbul where Latvia produced a major upset by knocking out World Cup semifinalists Turkey to reach the finals of a major tournament for the first time in their short soccer history.
Latvia fought back from 2-0 down to force a 2-2 draw in the last 24 minutes and win the tie 3-2 on aggregate after their shock 1-0 home win in Riga in the first leg.
Although they played as an independent nation until 1940, Latvia have only been playing internationals again since 1991 and the match is certain to mark a turning point for sport in the small Baltic country of just 2.3 million people.
Eleven qualifiers were already known before the second legs of the playoffs with the draw for the finals taking place in Lisbon on Nov. 30. While Latvia triumphed, the dreams of other smaller nations ended with both Scotland and Wales eliminated by traditionally more powerful rivals.
The Netherlands needed just 14 minutes for Wesley Sneijder to wipe out Scotland’s first leg advantage and after that they scored with almost embarrassing ease as Ruud van Nistelrooy grabbed a hat trick and Andre Ooijer and Frank de Boer added the others in the 6-0 whitewash.
It was Scotland’s worst defeat since they lost 9-3 to England in 1961.
Wales, bidding to reach a major finals for the first time since the 1958 World Cup, also failed at the final hurdle losing to Russia in front of 73,000 home fans in Cardiff.
Vadim Yevseyev scored the only goal after 22 minutes and, although Ryan Giggs hit the post just before half-time, the Welsh were left disappointed at the end.
It was left to Latvia to live the dream and knock out Turkey whose growing reputation as an emerging soccer nation received a major setback.
A stunning volley from Ilhan Mansiz gave Turkey the lead after 21 minutes and a close-range chip from Hakan Sukur (64) put them 2-1 up on aggregate.
But Jurijs Laizans put Latvia back in front on the away goals rule with a fortuitous strike from a free-kick after 66 minutes before Maris Verpakovskis scored his sixth goal of the competition to ensure Latvia’s shock overall win.
Spain also ensured they would be taking part in neighboring Portugal’s party next summer after a convincing win in Oslo with goals from Raul (34), Vicente (49) and Joseba Etxeberria, who scored with a flukey 55th minute header he knew little about.
A weak, short clearance from Norwegian goalie Espen Johnsen went straight to Etxeberria’s head and rebounded back over the keeper into the net. Spain ran out 5-1 aggregate winners but matters were much closer for Croatia who edged Slovenia by the only goal after a second-half strike from the in-form Dado Prso for a 2-1 aggregate win.
Prso scored the decisive goal for Croatia after 61 minutes with a shot from 10 meters after Tomislav Sokota had set him up with a pass from the right. Just two minutes earlier Croatia’s Igor Tudor was sent off after receiving his second yellow card for a foul on Amir Karic.
Brazil Squander 2-0 Lead, Argentina Gifted Point
In Rio de Janeiro, world champions Brazil squandered a 2-0 lead as they were held 3-3 at home by Uruguay in an amazing World Cup qualifier on Wednesday while an unusual defensive mix-up helped Argentina to a 1-1 draw in Colombia.
Ecuador and Peru played out a goalless draw in Quito as Paraguay, who beat Chile 1-0 away on Tuesday, sat proudly at the top of the South American qualifying group after four of the 18 rounds of matches.
Brazil needed an 87th-minute equalizer from Ronaldo, his second goal of the game, to preserve an unbeaten home record in World Cup qualifying matches after their second-half slump against a team who have always caused them problems.
Uruguay’s flamboyant coach Juan Ramon Carrasco, who has promised to consign his team’s dour, defensive reputation to the dustbin of football history, boldly fielded three attackers for the tie in Curitiba.
The irrepressible Carrasco also made five changes to the side, which beat Chile 2-1 on Saturday and dropped leading scorer Javier Chevanton. But, resplendent in a 1970s-style cream suit, Carrasco’s face dropped as Brazil ripped his team to shreds in the first half.
