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Scotland captain Andy Robertson revealed he was next in line for a penalty but was struggling with a hamstring complaint as his country edged past Serbia for a spot in Euro 2020 on Thursday. 

Steve Clarke's side had taken the lead in the 52nd minute through Ryan Christie but Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic equalised for Serbia in injury time. 

The two sides could then not be split in extra-time as the qualifier was forced to a shootout with Scotland converting all five of their efforts before Aleksandar Mitrovic was denied by David Marshall. 

Robertson was next in line to take a spot-kick had Mitrovic scored but concedes he was in no state to take one as he got to savour his nation booking their place in a major tournament for the first time in 23 years. 

"I think I was next, but my hamstring had seized," Robertson told Sky Sports post-match.

"When it goes to penalties you always back Marshy [David Marshall]. We've come so far as a squad and I'm proud of everyone. They've been through a lot - lot of criticism, a lot of negativity. Really hope everyone back home can see the positive side of this.

"In the 90 minutes. It's come down to one of the best away performances I've been involved in. It shows you the strength we've got to come back from that, we stuck together throughout.

"I can't wait for summer. It's the most emotional I've been after the game."

Scotland are now unbeaten in nine consecutive international matches - their longest such run since 1930. 

An emotional Christie struggled to hold back tears in his post-match interview and was thankful to give Scotland something to cheer about after a difficult few months. 

"It's just an amazing night. It's been a horrible year for everyone and we knew we could give something back to the country," he said. 

"It's a monkey off the back and we can move on from here."

Scotland have been drawn in Group D for Euro 2020 alongside Croatia, Czech Republic and England with their games to be played in Glasgow and London. 

Gareth Southgate has insisted he has no qualms about playing Mason Mount and Jack Grealish in the same England side.

There has been plenty of talk that Southgate is reluctant to field both Aston Villa’s Grealish and Chelsea’s Mount in the same side, while the latter denied there is any sort of rivalry between the pair.

The England coach dispelled that theory by handing both players starting spots against Republic of Ireland in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday.

Southgate was rewarded with impressive displays from both players - albeit against a disappointing Ireland side.

Grealish was given freedom to roam and produced an impressive performance, which was capped off by an assist for Jadon Sancho in the 3-0 win.

Mount too was influential, bringing energy from a deeper role as he broke up play and also joined in attacks further up the field.

Southgate now has plenty to ponder with regard to the makeup of his side, but he would not be averse to fielding Grealish and Mount together in the future.

"Of course [they can play together],” Southgate told ITV. “There’s a lot of other players in the squad as well. 

"We have competition for places, you saw them in two different roles today. I was pleased with the way we moved the ball.”

Grealish and Borussia Dortmund star Sancho were given free roles to roam against Ireland, and Southgate liked what he saw.

“The two players in those roles, Jadon and Jack, have the freedom to go either side of the pitch and try and create overloads,” Southgate said. “At times, I thought both of them did really well. 

“As soon as they turn and are running at people they are a problem for the opponent.” 

Reflecting on the overall performance, Southgate said: “I was pleased with the way the boys played. 

"We used the ball well, created chances and it could have been more comfortable had we taken some of those chances but overall very pleased.

“We were a bit slow at the start, which is understandable as it is not a team that has had a lot of time to work together, but as the game went on the interplay between our attacking tens and wing-backs was very good.”

England will now switch up a gear from an international friendly to Nations League action, with games against Belgium and Iceland on November 15 and 18 respectively.

Football fans now know all 24 nations who will compete at the European Championships in 2021 following the conclusion of the play-offs, joining the selection of teams already drawn in groups.

The Covid-19 pandemic saw Euro 2020 pushed back a full year until June 2021, with everything else currently remaining in place including the myriad of venues across Europe.

Both club and international football has now returned, albeit without fans in most places, with that resumption seeing the full draw for Euro 2020 decided.

Goal takes a look at every country that has qualified for Euro 2020...

Euro 2020 Group A teams

Group A consists of Turkey , Italy, Wales and Switzerland with their games set to be played in Rome and Baku. 

Italy were the highest seed drawn into the group, while Wales are the lowest after they qualified directly for the tournament by a single point. 

Switzerland and Italy both topped their qualifying groups with Turkey finishing second in a competitive group behind France. 

Euro 2020 Group B teams

Group B will see Belgium, Denmark, Finland and Russia all face off in games to played across Copenhagen and Saint Petersburg. 

Belgium and Russia were both part of the same qualifying group with Roberto Martinez's side winning all 10 of their games to book their spot in emphatic fashion. 

Denmark and Finland both finished second in their respective groups with the latter doing well to pip Greece to automatic qualification. 

Euro 2020 Group C teams

Group C consists of Austria, Netherlands, North Macedonia and Ukraine with matches to be staged in Amsterdam and Bucharest. 

Ukraine surprisingly finished top of their qualifying group at the expensive of Portugal, while Netherlands and Austria had to settle for second in their respective sections. 

North Macedonia finished third in the same group as Austria but managed to book their spot at Euro 2020 after defeating Kosovo and Georgia in Nations League play-off matches.

Euro 2020 Group D teams

Group D will see Croatia, Czech Republic, England and Scotland  all face off in games set to played in Glasgow and London. 

England comfortably finished top of their qualifying group which also contained Czech Republic, who finished second ahead of Kosovo. 

Croatia topped their group, while Scotland's path to Euro 2020 saw them beat Serbia on penalties in a seesawing play-off - their first major finals since World Cup 1998.

Euro 2020 Group E teams

Group E consists of Poland, Spain, Sweden and Slovakia  with matches to be staged in Bilbao and Dublin. 

Spain pipped Sweden to first in their qualifying group, while Poland cruised to the top of their section after losing just one of their 10 qualifiers. 

It wasn't such smooth sailing for Slovakia, who only made it to Euro 2020 after an extra-time victory against Northern Ireland in a Nations League play-off. 

Euro 2020 Group F teams

Group F has been dubbed the 'Group of Death' and for good reason with France, Germany, Portugal and Hungary  all set to face off in Budapest and Munich. 

France and Germany finished first in their qualifying groups, while Portugal were forced to settle for second after finishing behind Ukraine. 

Hungary will be punching above their weight in this group and only made it to Euro 2020 after dramatically beating Iceland 2-1 in their play-off final. However, the underdogs will play two of their three matches on home soil.

Jack Grealish insisted he's happy with role in England's current set-up and that Gareth Southgate has "been brilliant" with him over the last few months after his star turn against the Republic of Ireland.

Grealish was handed his maiden start for the Three Lions in a 3-0 win over Wales last month, but was left on the bench for subsequent Nations League fixtures against Belgium and Denmark.

The midfielder has found himself behind Chelsea's Mason Mount in the squad pecking order, despite the fact he has enjoyed a hugely impressive start to the new Premier League season at Aston Villa.

However, Southgate opted to name both men in his starting line up against Ireland at Wembley on Thursday night, with England eventually running out 3-0 winners thanks to goals from Harry Maguire, Jadon Sancho and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Grealish provided the assist for Sancho to give the hosts a two-goal lead heading in at the break, and produced another fine all-round performance after being deployed on the left of a front three.

The 25-year-old could now be in line for his first competitive outing for the Three Lions when they resume their latest Nations' League campaign with another clash against Belgium on Sunday, and he is eager to continue proving to his manager that he can deliver on the international stage.

The Villa star told reporters post-match of his strong relationship with Southgate and how much he is learning from the rest of his England team-mates.

"It was good to get my second start. I thought we controlled the game well and obviously, it is nice to get the win," Grealish said. 

"It is what I have been trying to do this season, trying to score more. I got the assist for Jadon and I am happy with that. I could have scored and assisted a couple more but hopefully, I will save those ones.

"Training with these guys day in day out for two weeks it steps up everything about your game, it has done for me. I have been trying to take as much as I can off them and hopefully, it can help me.

"I want to play as much as possible all I've got to do is try and impress the manager as much as I can. Since I have been here he has brilliant with me, talking to me and telling me what he wants me to do."

England Under-21 manager Aidy Boothroyd admits the future of Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala is still undecided amid an ongoing battle with Germany over his international future.

For now, the 17-year-old attacking midfielder has chosen to be with the Three Lions after his maiden call-up to the U21 side as the DFB have backed down in their pursuit.

Despite having played for Germany at the U16 level, Maikel Schonwitz, head of youth coaches at the DFB, confirmed to Sport1 that Musiala recently rejected them.

Musiala, who was born in Stuttgart and grew up in England, has a German mother and Nigerian father, making him also eligible for the Super Eagles. Boothroyd said it's up to the teenager to decide his own international future.

"Nothing is written in stone and we are just doing what we would do with any other player at this moment in time," Boothroyd said. "He is a good player who deserves to be stretched and that’s why he is in the U21 team.

"After that, it is completely down to him. He has to get past the competition in terms of the players ahead of him [to reach senior level]. He needs to push himself further to grow to get into his club team in Germany. It won’t be an issue that he plays in that country so we want to create an environment that he flourishes in.

"If he joins us, then great, but we can’t do too much about it."

Musiala's breakthrough at Bayern has vindicated his decision to leave Chelsea as he became the European champions' youngest Bundesliga goalscorer and appearance-maker in recent months. Boothroyd has quickly been impressed by the youngster's first few training sessions.

"He is a very, very talented player," he added. "He has got very good feet, he can play off the left or right. Tactically, I have been really impressed at how quickly he takes things on. He has looked the part.

"Watching him playing for his club, the younger teams and you get a clear idea of him. But having looked at him up close, he is probably not finished growing so there’s a lot to come from him physically but technically and tactically I have been really impressed."

The youngster has co-captained England at U17 level with Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham. The Bayern midfielder was looking forward to linking up with his close friend and fellow Bundesliga star before he got promoted to Gareth Southgate's senior squad.

"It has to be said that Jamal was really excited to get into the U21s but he had his best mate going out of the group in less than two days after Jude went into the senior players so some of the other players got around him and helped him to settle.

"Without putting pressure on either of the guys, they are both in a system that allows players to grow if you do well which means you get opportunities, like Jude shows. That’s whether he comes back to us or not and he won’t be the last player to get into that senior area.

"We are pleased for him and excited about what he can do in the future."

In Bellingham's absence, Boothroyd said his former Blues teammate Callum Hudson-Odoi is helping him adapt to the group: "Callum, I have to say, is a very friendly character so like the other boys he has taken Jamal under his wing to help him relax and play his football."

David Marshall was the hero as Scotland secured their place at next year's Euro 2020 by beating Serbia 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in their play-off final in a sodden Belgrade.

Scotland looked set to make it through to their first major tournament since the 1998 World Cup in normal time thanks to Ryan Christie's brilliant strike in the 52nd minute.

However, Luka Jovic, who replaced Nemanja Maksimovic in the 70th minute, converted a free header 20 minutes later and the teams could not be separated after an additional half an hour.

It went to a penalty shoot-out and Marshall saved Aleksandar Mitrovic's spot-kick to ensure Steve Clarke's men will go up against rivals England, Croatia and Czech Republic in Group D at next year's European Championship.

The visitors were unable to make the most of some early pressure, with a barrage of crosses failing to find their target and an ambitious free-kick from Christie the best they could muster.

Serbia gradually found their footing and in the 23rd minute Mitrovic teed up Sasa Lukic for a shot from the edge of the box that was placed just outside the upright.

After Andy Robertson blazed over, Christie worked the space on the edge of the box to create room for a shot that went in off the base of the post.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Jovic missed the target with headers before the Real Madrid striker was left unmarked by Scott McTominay to nod in Filip Mladenovic's corner and force extra time.

Marshall produced a spectacular diving save to keep Nemanja Gudelj out in the 99th minute and he did it again to thwart Mitrovic on the decisive penalty, securing a famous win for Scotland.

What does it mean? Serbia's wait goes on

While they have featured in two World Cups since becoming an independent nation in 2006, Serbia again failed to qualify for their first European Championship.

They are now without a home win in four straight games and have been victorious in just one of their past seven matches in all competitions.

Scotland's saviour

Marshall denied Eran Zahavi from the penalty spot in the semi-final shoot-out success against Israel and he was once again crucial to Scotland's victory, producing two pivotal saves after the end of the 90 minutes to send his team to Euro 2020.

Costly Kostic

Usually a potent force going forward, Filip Kostic was disappointing for Serbia. He created just one chance, only completed 61 per cent of his passes and – most notably – gave possession away before Christie's goal. He was subbed off seven minutes later.

Key Opta Facts:

- Scotland have reached the finals of a major international competition for the first time since World Cup 1998 and their first European Championship finals since 1996.
- Scotland are unbeaten in nine consecutive international matches in all competitions (W6 D3), last enjoying a longer run without defeat in February 1930 (11 games).
- Ryan Christie has scored four goals in his last five games for Scotland, having failed to net in his previous nine for his country.
- Serbia's Luka Jovic has scored his first goal since February (for Real Madrid v Osasuna), ending a run of 10 matches for club and country without netting.

What's next?

Scotland can secure promotion to Nations League League A by beating Slovakia on Sunday, while Serbia will be avoid to avoid relegation to League C when they meet Hungary on the same day.

Northern Ireland fell short of qualifying for their second ever European Championships as Michal Duris' extra-time goal helped Slovakia to a 2-1 win in a Euro 2020 play-off final in Belfast on Thursday. 

Ian Barraclough's side had lost two Nations League games since their semi-final penalty shoot-out win over Bosnia-Herzegovina last month and they started slowly at Windsor Park, falling behind to Juraj Kuckar's 17th-minute strike. 

They clawed their way back into the game three minutes from full-time, though, when Paddy McNair's low cross was diverted into his own net by Milan Skriniar. 

But there was to be no fairytale ending for the hosts as substitute Duris powered home in the 110th minute to help Slovakia qualify for back-to-back European Championships and inflict a seventh defat in 11 games on Baraclough's side.

More than 1,000 Northern Ireland fans were allowed into Windsor Park following a loosening of coronavirus-related restrictions but they had little to celebrate during an insipid start from their side.

Moments after Albert Rusnak had flashed over from inside the penalty area, Slovakia went ahead when George Saville's misplaced header allowed Kucka a free run on goal, the Parma midfielder keeping his cool to slot past Bailey Peacock-Farrell from 15 yards.

Niall McGinn blazed over from 20 yards shortly before the interval as the hosts ended the first half without a shot on target.

Northern Ireland looked sharper after the restart, with Conor Washington thumping a half-volley straight at Marek Rodak from a promising position, but Slovakia soon found their shape and comfortably held the hosts at arm's length for large periods.

Baraclough's men ensured an additional 30 minutes, though, when Skriniar diverted McNair's low cross over Rodak from inside the six-yard box.

Substitute Kyle Lafferty came agonisingly close to sealing the win before extra time but his powerful drive from outside the area crashed against Rodak's left-hand post.

That near-miss came back to haunt the hosts 10 minutes before the end of extra time, Duris lashing in at Peacock-Farrell's near post after Jonny Evans had failed to cut out a throughball.

What does it mean? Slovakia punish careless Northern Ireland 

Barraclough said his side had the responsibility of "lifting a nation" and for a brief period it looked like they would do just that. A combination of uncharacteristic sloppiness from Evans and poor goalkeeping from Peacock-Farrell was their undoing in extra time, though. 
 
The hosts never looked particularly dangerous in attack, but still managed to carve out 16 shots. The reason they are not celebrating Euro 2020 qualification? Only three of them was on target. 

Skriniar dominant for visitors

Own goal aside, Skriniar was a rock for Slovakia. The Inter defender made more successful passes than any player on the field (92), contested a team-high 11 duels and gained possession on 10 occasions - one more than anyone else wearing a white shirt. 

Saville endures torrid game

The Middlesbrough midfielder gifted Slovakia the lead with a wayward header and things did not get any better after that. He completed just 15 successful passes and won just three of his 10 duels before he was hauled off in the 66th minute.
 

Key Opta facts:

- Northern Ireland have been defeated in extra time for the first time in their history.
- Slovakia have won for the first time in 2020, having drawn twice and lost three times since beating Azerbaijan last November.
- Northern Ireland have lost three consecutive home matches for the first time since September 2011-February 2012.
- Baraclough's side have kept just one clean sheet in their last 11 matches - at home to the Netherlands last November.
- Kucka's opener was his third goal of Slovakia's Euro 2020 qualification campaign, which is the joint-most of any player for the side along with Marek Hamsik and Robert Bozenik. 

What's next?

Both sides are in Nations League action on Sunday, with Northern Ireland travelling to Austria and Slovakia hosting Scotland.

Euro 2020 takes place in summer 2021 and we now know all of the teams that have booked their place in the competition.

The tournament, which is being held in venues across Europe, will feature a total of 24 competitors, with some of the game's heavyweights set to feature.

However, there is always room for an upset, even if the number of teams has been increased.

Goal takes a look at the countries that have qualified for Euro 2020.

Euro 2020 qualified teams

A total of 24 teams qualify for the European Championship. Of those, 20 teams - the top two teams in each of the 10 groups - qualified automatically.

The remaining four teams qualify through the play-offs.

You can see the full list of automatic qualifiers and play-off qualifiers in the table below.

Qualified from the play-offs

As well as the 20 teams who qualify for the competition by finishing in the top two of the 10 groups, four teams qualified via the play-offs.

A total of 16 teams were involved in the play-off stage and their places were achieved through the UEFA Nations League.

The following four teams progressed from the play-offs: Hungary, Slovakia, Scotland and North Macedonia.

How qualification from the groups was secured

Group A

England secured qualification through an emphatic 7-0 win over Montenegro in the penultimate qualifying match, while Czech Republic also qualifed with a 2-1 victory over Kosovo.

Group B

Ukraine became the first team from Group B to advance to Euro 2020 after winning 2-1 against Portugal on October 14.

Portugal joined them with a win over Luxembourg in their final group match, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring his 99th international goal in a 2-0 victory.

Group C

Germany and the Netherlands both qualified on November 16, though their finishes had to be confirmed on the final day of qualifiers.

Group D

Switzerland qualified in style in their last match, beating Gibraltar 6-1, while Denmark made it through with a final-day draw against Ireland.

Group E

Croatia secured qualification on November 16 with a 3-1 win over Slovakia. 

They were joined by Wales who won 2-0 over Hungary on the final day of qualification on November 19.

Group F

Spain became the sixth team to qualify for Euro 2020 after drawing against Sweden in October.  Sweden themselves then qualified in November with a 2-0 over Romania.

Group G

Poland sealed qualification with a 2-0 win over North Macedonia in October, while Austria  won qualification after defeating the same side 2-1 a month later.

Group H

Turkey were the first side to qualify fom Group H after drawing 0-0 with Iceland - a result which was also enough to send  France through.

Group I

Belgium became the first team to qualify for Euro 2020 when they beat San Marino on October 10.

Russia  joined them in clinching qualification after their away win over Cyprus on October 13.

Group J

Italy became the second team to secure Euro 2020 qualification when they beat Greece 2-0 on October 12.

Finland secured the other spot from Group J after seeing off Liechtenstein 3-0 on November 15 and will be making an appearance in the tournament finals for the first time.

Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang sealed Gabon's 2-1 victory over the Gambia in Thursday's 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture.

Saint-Etienne star Denis Bouanga broke the deadlock at Stade de Franceville in the opening 10 minutes before Aubameyang doubled the lead with his goal in the 55th minute.

The strike stretched the Arsenal star's record as Gabon's all-time top scorer to 26 goals.

Gambia pulled a goal back through Bubacarr Jobe in the 81st minute but it was not enough to inspire a comeback.

Aubameyang who captained Patrice Neveu's side, played for 90 minutes as the victory extended Gabon's unbeaten run in Group D.

They lead the group with seven points after three matches while Gambia are second with four points. DR Congo are placed third in the table with two points while Angola are yet to pick a point after two matches.

Gabon will hope to continue their impressive form when they visit Gambia in Bakau for the reverse outing at the Independence Stadium on Monday.

The Panthers missed out on the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, but they are eyeing a return to the 2022 event in Cameroon which would be their eighth appearance.

Their best-ever achievement in the continental tournament has been the quarter-final stage where they reached in the 1996 and 2012 editions.

England warmed up for their upcoming Nations League double-header by cruising to a 3-0 friendly win over the Republic of Ireland at Wembley.

Harry Maguire and Jadon Sancho were on target in the first half of Thursday's encounter, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin's emphatic penalty completing a routine outing after the break.

Manager Gareth Southgate will now have plenty to think about after a strong showing from a number of England's fringe players prior to matches with Belgium and Iceland.

The visitors' hopes of earning a first ever Wembley win were dealt a blow when John Egan was forced off early on after taking a bang to the head.

Ireland probed with a couple of dangerous low crosses but England hit the front from a corner that resulted from Darren Randolph saving smartly from Bukayo Saka following an initial poor punch.

Harry Winks picked up the first clearance and stood up a cross for Maguire to power home with his head.

Calvert-Lewin then went close at the end of a slick move and Randolph saved from Maguire before the lively Jack Grealish fed Sancho, who lashed home England's second through the legs of Jeff Hendrick.

England picked up where they left off in the second half, pressing Ireland high before Saka was tripped in the box by Cyrus Christie.

And Calvert-Lewin made no mistake from the spot, hammering the ball into the top corner for the second goal of his short international career.

With the hosts in complete control late on, Southgate introduced Jude Bellingham from the bench, making him the third youngest England player of all-time.

What does it mean? Southgate given headache

The wisdom of playing these international friendlies has been questioned in recent weeks, but there is no doubt that Southgate learned more about the depth at his disposal this evening.

There is nothing better for a manager than to see fringe players stepping up in the absence of key men and that is exactly what happened for England here. Southgate is facing a very welcome headache.

Grealish makes case once again

It once felt like there was nothing Grealish could do to get into the England squad, but just two caps in he already looks a dead cert for inclusion in the Euros squad next summer. 

The Aston Villa man was influential again here, taking 50 touches, completing 88.9% of passes in the opposition half, and making two key passes - including the assist for Sancho's goal.

Idah isolated up top

Starting up front for the visitors at Wembley, Adam Idah would have hoped to make much more of an impact before his withdrawal in the 71st minute.

The 19-year-old touched the ball just 18 times, and won only one of his five duels.

Key Opta Facts:

- England earned their first win over the Republic of Ireland since March 1985, ending a run of seven without victory against them.
- Republic of Ireland are without a goal in their last five matches in all competitions, their longest run without scoring since another run of five between November 1995-May 1996.
- Harry Maguire became the 33rd different Manchester United player to score for the England men’s team – no club has provided more different goalscorers for the Three Lions (level with Tottenham).
- Jadon Sancho became the first player to score for England at Wembley while playing for a non-English club side since Steve McManaman v Luxembourg in September 1999.
- Each of England's last four penalty goals have been scored by different players (Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford and Dominic Calvert-Lewin), the longest such streak of different penalty scorers since a run involving Terry McDermott, Kevin Keegan, Phil Neal, Bryan Robson and Gary Lineker between 1980-1990 (excluding shootouts).

What's next?

England travel to Belgium for a Nations League fixture on Sunday, while Ireland's next outing in the same competition sees them face Wales away from home.

Christian Eriksen has admitted his move to Inter has not worked out as he had hoped, and he will consider his future when the transfer window opens in January.

Denmark international Eriksen arrived at Inter in the January transfer window from Tottenham and was tipped to be the calming, creative presence needed in the centre of Antonio Conte’s midfield.

However, the 28-year-old has struggled to make any impression in Serie A - with the creativity and guile he demonstrated at Tottenham sadly lacking.

Eriksen can put his Inter woes to the back of his mind for the moment, as he is on international duty with Denmark, but he has admitted things have not gone to plan in Milan.

“This isn’t what I dreamed of,” Eriksen told TV2. “All players want to play as much as possible, but the coach decides who gets to go on the pitch.

“It is a strange situation, as the fans want to see me playing more and so would I, but the coach has different ideas and as a player I have to respect that.”

Eriksen’s future was cast into doubt during the off-season, when he was reportedly offered back to Tottenham.

Spurs did not bite, but reports suggest Inter could look to offload Eriksen from their wage bill in the January transfer window.

The Dane has seven weeks to turn things around at Inter, but he could look to move on if things do not improve.

"I am concentrating on my football, then when the transfer window opens we will see if something will happen or not," Eriksen said.

Eriksen has made only three starts in Serie A this term, and on each occasion he has been subbed off around the hour mark.

The ray of hope for Eriksen is that Inter’s form has not been brilliant so far this season. They are sat in fifth in the table, five points adrift of leaders and city rivals AC Milan after eight games.

If the Dane can rediscover the form that prompted Inter to sign him from Tottenham there could be a route back into the side, and Conte has said he has faith in the midfielder. 

Inter return to Serie A action after the international break with a home game against Torino on November 22.

Dominik Szoboszlai's superb strike completed a remarkable late turnaround as Hungary secured their spot at Euro 2020 with a stunning 2-1 win over Iceland.

Having defended brilliantly amid a Hungary onslaught, Iceland looked to be heading to their second European Championship thanks to Gylfi Sigurdsson's 11th-minute opener, which came courtesy of Peter Gulacsi's howler.

Yet after substitute Albert Gudmundsson missed a glorious chance to wrap up the win in the 87th minute, Hungary struck twice to book their place at next year's finals.

Loic Nego had prodded in from close range, before star man Szoboszlai stole victory, thumping in off the upright to thwart Iceland in the most dramatic fashion.

Gulacsi had work to do in the fourth minute, holding onto Victor Palsson's header, yet Hungary's goalkeeper was left embarrassed soon after.

Sigurdsson's free-kick curled straight into Gulacsi's arms, only for the RB Leipzig man to fumble it over the line.

Willi Orban and Birkir Bjarnason exchanged chances as Hungary looked to hit back, but the hosts did not truly test Hannes Halldorsson until he kept out Szoboszlai's deflected free-kick in the 45th minute, before Gulacsi denied Sigurdsson a second at the other end.

Hungary wanted a penalty when Adam Szalai went down under pressure from Sigurdsson after the restart, but the referee dismissed their appeals.

Iceland's stubborn rearguard looked set to be enough, and the visitors seemed to have the win in their grasp when Gudmundsson latched onto Jon Dadi Bodvarsson's cross, only to slice wide of a gaping goal.

Hungary capitalised on that miss, with Nego on hand to poke in after Kari Arnason inadvertently played the ball into his path.

Iceland pressed for a winner, yet this was Hungary's night and, after a rapid counter, Szoboszlai slotted in from the edge of the area to spark jubilant celebrations at an empty Puskas Arena.
 

What does it mean? Hungary to face Euro heavyweights

Hungary – who were playing without their coach Marco Rossi on the touchline after he tested positive for coronavirus – have now won three of their past four fixtures, though they face a huge task at next year's finals, as they will join Germany, France and defending champions Portugal in a daunting Group F.

Szoboszlai's star continues to rise

Arsenal are reportedly interested in Salzburg playmaker Szoboszlai, who has scored some excellent goals for club and country already this term.

The 20-year-old turned in a match-winning display on Thursday, with his goal capping off a performance in which he created a game-high six chances while attempting three shots and 11 crosses.

Gulacsi gets away with it

In seven Bundesliga appearances so far for Leipzig this term, Gulacsi has not made any errors leading to goals and has conceded only four times.

His mistake for Sigurdsson's opener was a complete calamity, however, even if his five saves – which all came in the first half – ultimately helped secure victory.

What's next?

Serbia are next up for Hungary, who sit second in Nations League Group B3, while Iceland - already relegated from the top flight - face Denmark.

Gareth Southgate has revealed that he had a "long chat" with Jurgen Klopp after Liverpool and England were dealt an injury blow with Joe Gomez.

Gomez was forced to withdraw from the England squad after going down with a serious knee issue in training on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old has since undergone successful surgery on the injury, but now looks set to sit out a large portion of the 2020-21 campaign as he begins his recovery.

Gomez will join Virgil van Dijk in the Reds' treatment room, with the Netherlands international currently working his way back from a cruciate ligament problem, leaving only Joel Matip and Nathaniel Phillips available as natural centre-back options for Klopp.

Southgate also had to shuffle his pack ahead of a friendly clash with the Republic of Ireland after losing the Liverpool star, who will also miss the upcoming Nations League doubleheader against Belgium and Iceland.

The Three Lions head coach says he has been in contact with Klopp over the importance of reducing the risk of any further injuries in the squad, with clubs across the Premier League currently struggling to deal with the demands of a fixture list which has been adversely affected by the coronavirus crisis.

"I had a long chat with Jurgen last night, we're all worried about player welfare. To lose a player in the way that we did yesterday for us and Liverpool, but most importantly for the boy, was really tragic," Southgate told ITV Sport.

"There needs to be a look at the calendar. We're fortunate we've got the six subs [against the Republic of Ireland] and five in the Nations League, we've got to try and lessen the load as much as we can for the players."

Asked whether he and Klopp were in agreement on how best to protect the players in the current climate, Southgate responded: "Unfortunately the injury was so unique in how it happened that we know it was just a consequence of the number of games.

"Wherever he had been there's a chance that would have happened. We're on the same page, we think the welfare of the players is critical."

South Africa booked a place in the final of the 2020 Cosafa Women's Cup after defeating 10-women Malawi 6-2 in Thursday's semi-final encounter. 

Banyana Banyana recorded a clinical winning run despite the absence of foreign stars, starting with a 2-0 triumph over Angola before 5-0 and 7-0 wins over Eswatini and Comoros respectively.  

Having advanced as Group A winners, Desiree Ellis' team aimed to avoid a defeat in the quest to defend their title against Malawi.

On their part, the Scorchers emerged as Group B winners following clinical 9-0 and 1-0 victories over Lesotho and Zambia respectively.

The Malawians were reduced to 10 players after goalkeeper Samir Amido was handed her marching orders for a poor challenge 20 minutes into the encounter but the first half ended in a stalemate.

After the restart, Banyana came alive as Nomvula Kgoale broke the deadlock six minutes into the second half to put the hosts ahead.

Malawi, however, got a swift response two minutes later when Temwa Chawinga fired in a stunner from outside the area.

With their lead cancelled, Hildah Magaia recovered the advantage for South Africa in the 62nd minute before Kgoale bagged her brace of the match to extend the lead two minutes later.

Banyana continued to profit from their numerical advantage as Magaia hit her second and Banyana's fourth in the 68th minute before Sibulele Holweni got on the scoresheet six minutes later. 

15 minutes from time, Magaia netted her treble and Banyana's sixth as Tabitha Chawinga's late effort three minutes later only counted as a consolation goal for the Malawians.

The result handed South Africa an eighth successive final appearance but shattered Malawi's dream of a maiden final spot.

Having advanced, Banyana Banyana will go up against final debutants Botswana in the final on Saturday and will seek to avenge their 2020 Olympic Qualifying elimination against the Mares.

Nigeria national team coach Gernot Rohr is optimistic the Super Eagles can qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations with a game to spare.

The West Africans qualified for the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2019 Afcon tournament in Egypt before completing the qualifiers.

The three-time African champions are on the verge of repeating a similar achievement for the 2022 continental showpiece.

The Super Eagles currently lead Group L of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with six points from two games after victories over the Republic of Benin and Lesotho.

Nigeria will take on Sierra Leone in a double-header, with the first leg scheduled for the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium on Friday.

Victories in the encounters could see the West African giants secure a place in the next edition of the Afcon tournament and Rohr hopes his side can again repeat the feat.

"We will not underrate this team, our tradition is to be qualified with games to spare, we want to continue in this tradition," Rohr told the media.

"We desire to win our games and since the beginning, we were in this direction, we are sometimes lucky to win our first games but I think the determination of the staff, of the team, is giving us this opportunity to be ready.

"Tomorrow won't be easy but if we start with nine points in three games, even a draw in Sierra Leone could be enough but we go all the time for winning the games."

"It won't be easy, we showed already a video to our players but unfortunately some of our players arrived only yesterday night so we have to do it again this morning.”

Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa also revealed Nigeria are battle-ready for the Sierra Leone clash on Friday.

“We have trained together twice now and I can say we are ready for the game on Friday,” Musa said.

Nigeria finished third at the last edition of the continental tournament in Egypt, with Algeria and Senegal beating them to the gold and silver medals respectively.

James Rodriguez was "desperate to play" at Real Madrid, according to Carlo Ancelotti, who says the Colombian star has "found the right place" at Everton.

James spent six years on Madrid's books after joining the club from Monaco for £63 million ($83m) following his star turn at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The midfielder attracted the Blancos' attention after helping Colombia reach the quarter-finals of the tournament, during which he also managed to pick up the Golden Boot.

He never quite managed to live up to the potential he showed on the international stage during his time at Santiago Bernabeu though, despite winning two La Liga titles and two Champions League crowns.

James scored 37 goals in 125 games for Madrid in total, but found himself on the fringes of the action after returning to the club in 2019 following a two-year loan spell at Bayern Munich.

Zinedine Zidane only granted the playmaker eight La Liga appearances last season, and happily sanctioned his departure when Everton came calling in September.

The Toffees snapped James up for £22 million (€24m/$29m), which has so far proved to be a bargain fee, with the ex-Monaco star contributing three goals and three assists in his first seven Premier League outings for the club.

Ancelotti, who was in charge of Madrid when the Colombia international moved to the Bernabeu, thinks a man who has struggled for consistency over the years has finally arrived at the perfect destination for his talents to shine through.

"First of all, he wanted to find a club where he could play more frequently compared to Real Madrid," the Everton head coach told NBC Sports.

"He had times at Real Madrid where he didn't play a lot. He wanted a new challenge, was desperate to play, and I think he found the right place, because he knows me, I know him ... The club wants to improve, the club has a big project.

"I think that he found the right place to show his quality and, of course, the player is really, really talented; he doesn't miss a pass, he doesn't miss a control, he doesn't miss a shot. He doesn't play complicated football, he plays simple."

Rodriguez will be back in line for a place in Ancelotti's line-up when the Toffees take in a trip to Craven Cottage to face Fulham on November 21.

African football great Emmanuel Amuneke is unmoved by constant snubs by Spanish teams in the past, claiming he would continue to ‘make himself available’ for any chance.

After a remarkable career that saw him represent Sporting Lisbon, Barcelona and Albacete as well as getting crowned as 1994 African Player of the Year, the 49-year-old went into administration.

Amuneke worked as an assistant manager at Saudi Arabian side Al Hazm before leading Nigeria to 2015 U17 World Cup glory in Chile before taking charge of Al Khartoum after a failed expedition as Nigeria U20 boss.

He was named as Tanzania senior national team coach after a season in Sudan. There, he led the East African nation to their first Africa Cup of Nations in 2019. The Taifa Stars’ failure in Egypt saw him shown the exit door by Tanzania Football Federation.

Having left his role at Egyptian side Misr El-Makkasa, the Nigerian football great is hoping to return to management – with Europe his preferred destination.

"It's frustrating and disappointing that despite playing here and undergoing your coaching training in Spain, Africans are never considered for a job in the country," Amuneke told BBC Sport Africa.

"I returned to Spain after winning the Under-17 World Cup and applied for jobs in the Spanish Leagues, but I was overlooked and not even shortlisted for interviews.

"A second division side in Spain showed strong interest through an agent, but despite my experience of playing in Spain, undertaking my coaching trainings here and winning the World Cup, it was not enough for them to put their trust in me.

"I'm not discouraged about this situation. I will continue to make myself available for any opportunities that may come or any vacant jobs that are open because Spain is where my family lives."

"You can only keep knocking on different doors politely with a positive mindset that one day they will open it for you," he continued.

"No one should feel entitled to any job or seek a tokenism role, but instead continue to seek an equal opportunity like other managers.

"You never know, the next job might be in the Spanish league or elsewhere. I am happy with what I have achieved and what I am doing.

"I can only continue to stay optimistic and hopefully the objective [to manage in Spain] will be achieved."

Ed Woodward has publicly given his backing to head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer amid ongoing speculation about the Norwegian’s long-term future at Manchester United.

After a poor start to the campaign there has been mounting speculation that Solskjaer was on borrowed time at Old Trafford. Mauricio Pochettino, whom United have admired for a while, is firmly available and has put himself back in the spotlight amid the increasing pressure on the current United boss.

After back-to-back defeats, United gave Solskjaer some breathing room by defeating Everton 3-1 at the weekend. 

Goal understands that whatever the result at Goodison Park, Solskjaer's position was not under threat despite United sitting 15th in the table going into that fixture and now Woodward, executive vice-chairman at Old Trafford, has come out and backed Solskjaer.

In a statement released alongside the club’s first-quarter financial results he said: “On the pitch, while there is still hard work ahead to achieve greater consistency, we remain absolutely committed to the positive path we are on under Ole as the team continues to develop.

"We miss playing in front of our fans and we are working hard together with our governing bodies and relevant authorities to ensure that fans can safely return as soon as possible.”

It is understood Pochettino would be keen to take the manager’s job at Old Trafford and has openly spoken about his desire to return to Premier League management. However, despite United’s poor start to the campaign, Goal understands the club are committed to the long-term rebuild plan under Solskjaer and won't be pushed into making a reactionary decision.

United now sit 14th in the table following the win at Goodison Park before the international break, and have won just three of their opening seven league fixtures.

They face West Brom at home in their next game before tricky away fixtures at Southampton and West Ham sandwiched between Champions League clashes against Istanbul Basaksehir, Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig, where they will be hoping to get a step closer to qualification for the knockout rounds. 

United are atop Group H after winning their first two group-stage matches prior to last week's defeat against Istanbul Basaksehir.