Izuchukwu OkosiEuro 2008 and 2012 champions Spain on Sunday evening booked their place at Euro 2024 with a win in Norway and two games to spare in the qualification campaign also helping Scotland qualify from Group A.
Spain’s Euro qualification was in tatters when Scotland snatched an unlikely win when both nations met in September but La Roja turned things around in the latest international break with a 2-0 win against Scotland on Thursday.
Barcelona midfielder Gavi put the Spaniards ahead early in the second half which now put Norway’s Euro 2024 hopes squarely on the playoffs.
The Norwegians whose last appearance at the tournament was in Euro 2020 must stay in third and hope Serbia qualifies from Group G to stand a chance.
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland barely had any fighting chance to score on the night while Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard had a good chance to score but fired his shot wide off target.
Spain thought they had taken the lead after 20 minutes when Stefan Strandberg diverted the ball towards his own net and Alvaro Morata hammered home from almost on the goal line.
The goal was ruled out for offside against a bewildered-looking Morata.
Dani Carvajal’s lofted ball forward was aimed at Brighton winger Ansu Fati before Strandberg’s intervention, and Morata had left the ball it would have been an own goal.
Gavi eventually fired Spain ahead in the 49th minute after a hectic scramble in Norway’s area, pouncing when Mikel Oyarzabal’s shot was deflected into his path.
It was the 19-year-old’s fifth goal for his country in 25 appearances.
A flat Norway could not muster chances during eight minutes of added time, apparently resigned to their fate, while Spain broke into celebrations at the final whistle.
Spain’s win was also celebrated by Scotland who benefitted from the outcome of the game.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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