📝 UEFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers: Netherlands thrash Malta at home | OneFootball

The qualifying round for the 2026 World Cup has come to an end in Europe. A day marked by the 'orange' party at home against Malta... and by the moments of tension that have been experienced in Helsinki during Finland-Poland. The medical intervention that a spectator in the stadium needed forced the game to be stopped for several minutes.

There was also action in several places in Europe. From the thrashings of Serbia and Austria to Romania's act of faith, the European World Cup Tuesday gave a lot to talk about and with many protagonists. A summary of what the night was like in Europe.

The star. Memphis Depay lived his great night at home

Memphis Depay scored a double against Malta in just fifteen minutes, equaling Robin van Persie as the Netherlands' all-time top scorer with 50 goals, achieved in the same number of games as his predecessor. The Corinthians striker, turned into the Orange Machine's offensive emblem, is one step away from surpassing this mark and consolidating himself as his team's top scorer, unless unforeseen circumstances arise.

The surprise. Romania takes a breather at home against Cyprus

After a complicated start to the qualifiers, the Romanian team sees a glimmer of light again. This Tuesday, Romania beat Cyprus 2-0, meeting expectations and securing three key points in the qualifiers. Florin Tănase, inspired, opened the scoring after an assist from Dennis Man, who later extended the lead. With a great Horațiu Moldovan and an Andrei Rațiu established as a leader in his debut as captain, Romania takes a small breather.

The disappointment. Albania, light-years away from its best version

Sylvinho is not having his best moment with the Albanian team on the road to the 2026 World Cup. Albania drew 1-1 against Latvia in Riga, complicating their aspirations for second place in Group K. In a game dominated by Sylvinho's Red and Blacks in the first half, where they controlled the ball and patiently sought the goal, Latvian captain Cernomordijs scored the equalizer, frustrating Albanian expectations.

The results of Tuesday's round

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

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