RPL players on international duty: Claesson scores winner against Georgia, Krychowiak makes an assist

On 25 March, qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, as well as UEFA EUropean Under-21 Championship group-stage matches, were held.

2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Europe

Group B

Sweden 1-0 Georgia

Krasnodar midfielders Kristoffer Olsson and Viktor Claesson were in the starting line-up for Sweden. Claesson scored the only goal in the 35th minute from Zlatan Ibrahimovic's pass and was substituted in the 74th minute, while Olsson played 68 minutes and was shown a yellow card.

Rubin midfielder Khvicha Kvaratskhelia played the first half for Georgia before being replaced at the break, while his club teammate Carl Starfelt was an unused substitute for Sweden. Gia Grigalava and Jamal Tabidze remained on the bench for Georgia. Marcus Berg did not feature at all. On 28 March, Sweden will meet Kosovo, and Georgia will take on Spain.

Group C

Bulgaria 1-3 Switzerland

Arsenal midfielder Georgi Kostadinov played the entire match. By the 12th minute his team were already losing 3-0, but the Bulgarians did manage to pull one back in the second half. Their next match will also be held at home, against Italy on 28 March.

Group F

Moldova 1-1 Faroe Islands

Tambov’s Catalin Carp played 71 minutes and left the pitch with Moldova 1-0 up, but then the hosts conceded in the 83rd minute. In their next match, Moldova will play Denmark on 28 March.

Group I

Hungary 3-3 Poland

Dynamo's Sebastian Szymanski and Lokomotiv’s Grzegorz Krychowiak made the starting line-up. Szymanski was replaced in the 59th minute, and Krychowiak played the entire match, registering an assist in the 60th minute. Another Lokomotiv player, Maciej Rybus, came on as a substitute with his side 3-2 down in the 79th minute, and the Poles managed to equalise in the last 10 minutes. Ural midfielder Rafal Augustiniak, who was called up for the first time, remained on the bench for Poland. On 28 March, Poland will host Andorra.

Group J

Germany 3-0 Iceland

CSKA defender Hordur Magnusson played the full 90 minutes, and his teammate Arnor Sigurdsson came on in the 71st minute. On 28 March, Iceland will face Armenia on the second matchday of qualifying.

Liechtenstein 0-1 Armenia

Rostov midfielder Khoren Bayramyan was included in the visitors’ starting line-up, and was shown a yellow card in the 31st minute, before being replaced in the 75th. Armenia snatched all three points thanks to Noah Frommelt's own goal in the 83rd minute.

Romania 3-2 North Macedonia

Ural talisman Eric Bicfalvi came on as a substitute in the 76th minute at 2-0 up for Romania. In the last 10 minutes of the match, the hosts conceded two goals in two minutes, but beat the visitors thanks to a goal by Ianis Hagi in the 86th minute. On 28 March, Romania will host Germany.

UEFA European Under-21 Championship

Group D

Portugal U-21 1-0 Croatia U-21

Dynamo midfielder Nikola Moro started for Croatia as captain. His team conceded the only goal in the 68th minute - just one minute after the Dynamo midfielder had left the pitch. On the second matchday of the group stage, Croatia will face Switzerland on 28 March.

2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers

Group H

Zambia 3-3 Algeria

Arsenal players Kings and Evans Kangwa were not included in the starting lineup for the game, and Zambia lost their chance of reaching the finals in the penultimate matchday of qualification. Their final match will be held away against Zimbabwe on 29 March.

Photo: Croatian Football Union, Swedish Football Union, Polish Football Union