🇪🇺 Ukraine produce late comeback; big wins for Wales, Poland and Greece | OneFootball

The Euro 2024 play-offs are reaching the final stages after Thursday’s lively penultimate round.

Here’s what went down …

Wales on cusp of third Euros

Scorers: Brooks 3′, Williams 38′, Johnson 47′, James 86′; Pukki 45′

Wales are on the verge of a third EUROs after putting Finland to the sword to set up a League A play-off finale against Poland.

David Brooks put the hosts ahead after just three minutes by meeting Harry Wilson’s saved shot on the rebound with a powerful volley.

The hosts extended their lead through Neco Williams’ well-struck free kick from a clever backheel by Wilson in the build-up to it.

But Teemu Pukki halved the deficit by slotting past Danny Ward on the stroke of half-time with a 40th goal for his country.

Within two minutes of the restart, Brennan Johnson restored the Dragons’ two-goal cushion by meeting Brooks’ knock to the far post.

Dan James wrapped up matters at the Cardiff City Stadium by rolling the ball into an empty net after rounding Lukas Hradecky.

Poland thrash Estonia in five-star display

Scorers: Frankowski 22′, Zieliński 50′, Piotrowski 70′, Zalewski 74′, Szymański 77; Vetkal 79′

Sent off: Paskotši

Poland will take on Wales following their five-goal demolition of Estonia.

Przemysław Frankowski broke the deadlock by latching onto an incisive ball from Jakub Piotrowski before executing a cool finish.

The visitors were reduced to 10 men just five minutes later as Maksim Paskotši was dismissed after picking up a second yellow card.

Piotr Zieliński doubled the hosts’ lead early in the second half with a bullet header at the far post after Nicola Zalewski’s surging run and cross.

A three-goal onslaught in seven minutes saw Jakub Piotrowski, Zalewski and Stefan Szymański all add to the hosts’ emphatic tally.

But Martin Vetkal restored a sense of pride for Estonia by slotting home from inside the penalty area to deny Michał Probierz’s side a clean sheet.

Ukraine produce late comeback

Scorers: Mavienko (OG) 57′; Yaremchuk 85′, Dovbyk 88′

Ukraine produced a late comeback to deny Bosnia and Herzegovina a famous victory.

An action-packed second half saw the hosts take a surprise lead when Mykola Matvienko turned the ball into his own net.

But Roman Yaremchuk instigated the fightback by sweeping home from Yukhym Konoplya’s cross before poacher turned provider.

The Valencia forward returned the favour for Artem Dovbyk just three minutes later to set up a meeting with Iceland.

Iceland down 10-man Israel

Scorers: Zahavi (PEN) 31′; Guðmundsson 39, 83′, 87′, Traustason 42′

Sent off: Revivo

An Albert Guðmundsson hat-trick saw Iceland ease past 10-man Israel.

The hosts went ahead through Eran Zahavi’s penalty kick shortly after the half-hour mark before shipping two goals in four minutes.

First, Guðmundsson struck a sublime long-range free kick into the top right-hand corner of Omar Glazer’s net from outside the area.

Arnór Traustason put Åge Hareide’s side ahead in the 42nd minute by meeting a half-clearance on the edge of the box with a sharp volley.

Israel were later reduced to 10 men as Roy Revivo received his marching orders for a reckless lunge on Arnór Sigurðsson deep in his own half.

Guðmundsson settled any potential nerves as he claimed a hat-trick with two goals in five minutes during the closing stages.

Greece thrash Kazakhstan

Scorers: Bakasetas (PEN) 9′, Pelkas 15′, Ioannidis 37′, Kourbelis 40′, Tapalov (OG) 87′

Greece will take on Georgia after administering a five-goal thrashing of Kazakhstan.

Anastasios Bakasetas set the wheels in motion early on with a powerfully-taken penalty in the ninth minute.

A diving header by Dimitris Pelkas extended the lead as he met Giorgos Masouras’ searching cross unmarked after a good move.

Gus Poyet’s side went three ahead as Fotis Ioannidis converted another assist from Masouras with a deft close-range finish.

Dimitris Kourbelis became the next beneficiary of pinpoint crosses as he powered home Kostas Tsimikas’ delivery from the right-hand side.

In the closing stages, Erkin Tapalov turned the ball into his own net at a corner to complete Kazakhstan’s chastening evening.

Georgia on verge of history

Scorers: Zivzivadze 40′, 64′

Sent off: Chanot

Georgia stand on the cusp of reaching Euro 2024 after a heated two-goal victory over Luxembourg.

Budu Zivzivadze opened the scoring shortly before the interval by pouncing from a half-cleared corner to fire into the roof of the net from close range.

Luxembourg suffered a further blow early in the second half as Maxime Chanot was retrospectively sent off for a last-man challenge after the visitors saw a potential leveller denied.

The Karlsruher striker slid home a second in the 64th minute, meeting Levan Shengelia’s cross to the far post to set Willy Sagnol’s side up for a League C play-off final with Greece.