European Qualifiers: Portugal beat Albania to move clear at top

Image: Miguel Veloso celebrates scoring Portugal's late winner in Albania

Portugal took a big step towards qualification for Euro 2016 thanks to a late Miguel Veloso winner in Albania on Monday night.

Veloso headed in Ricardo Quaresma's corner deep into injury-time to move his side three points clear at the top of Group I after Denmark and Armenia had earlier drawn 0-0 in Yerevan.

The Danes remain second but have played a game more than both Portugal and third-placed Albania, who are a point further back.

Veloso's winner in Elbasan spared Cristiano Ronaldo's blushes after the Portugal captain had squandered several chances, a first-half miss from the six-yard line the pick of the bunch.

Albania beat Portugal earlier in qualification and almost went ahead after the break when Sokol Cikalleshi's deflected shot came back off the crossbar.

Advertisement
Watch Poland's Robert Lewandowski put his nation 3-0 up against Gibraltar with a sweet strike.

Elsewhere, three Poland players scored twice in an 8-1 victory over Gibraltar that kept them second in Group D, two points behind Germany and two ahead of the Republic of Ireland.

Robert Lewandowski's double in Warsaw took him to 10 goals in qualifying, while Arkadiusz Milik and the impressive Kamil Grosicki also hit two.

Also See:

Watch the moment Jake Gosling scored for Gibraltar. Poland were 8-0 up before Gibraltar and Gosling produced a lovely move

Gibraltar's late reply came from Bristol Rovers winger Jake Gosling and was just their second goal in UEFA competition.

Romania failed to knock Northern Ireland off the top of Group F as they drew 0-0 with bottom side Greece, Constantin Budescu missing two presentable first-half chances in Bucharest.

The Romanians are one point behind the leaders with two game to play, while Finland moved to within three points of third-placed Hungary thanks to a 1-0 win over the Faroe Islands in Helsinki.

Live Euro 2016 Qualifiers

Outbrain