The Kazakhstan goalkeeper, Temirlan Anarbekov, made a series of stunning saves to deny Belgium the opportunity to clinch World Cup qualification as they drew 1-1 in their Group J game at the Astana Arena. Belgium are still heavily fancied to win the group and book a berth at next year’s tournament when they finish their qualifying campaign at home to Liechtenstein on Tuesday. The draw left them two points clear of second-placed North Macedonia.
Belgium had to come from behind after Kazakhstan, who were down to 10 men for the last 11 minutes, scored early through the 17-year-old Dastan Satpayev before Hans Vanaken equalised early in the second half. A sloppy pass from Arthur Theate allowed the teenager to bear down on the Belgian goal and shoot into a gap Matz Sels left at his near post.
That was followed by sustained Belgian pressure and a series of excellent saves from Anarbekov, who denied Vanaken, Leandro Trossard and Charles De Ketelaere in the first half. Three minutes into the second half, Vanaken, the captain, stole in between the home defence to easily head home from Timothy Castagne’s cross and level, with the goalkeeper having no chance to save it.
Kazakhstan were down to 10 men when Islam Chesnokov was dismissed for a trip from behind on Jérémy Doku. Initially, he was shown a yellow card but after a review the Lithuanian referee, Donatas Rumsas, upgraded it to red. Belgium thought they had won the game, and secured World Cup qualification, in the last minute when Nicolas Raskin had a chance in front of goal, but Anarbekov pulled off another point-blank save to deny him.
The in-form striker Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice as Spain thrashed Georgia 4-0 away to set a national record and all but guarantee their place in next year’s World Cup finals. Spain’s romp in Tbilisi, in which Martín Zubimendi and Ferran Torres also scored, put them on a maximum 15 points from five Group E games with 19 goals scored and none conceded.
Second-placed Turkey, who beat Bulgaria 2-0 on Saturday – via Hakan Calhanoglu’s penalty and an own goal – would have to beat Spain 7-0 in Seville on Tuesday to finish as group winners and take the automatic qualification spot. Luis de la Fuente’s side are now unbeaten in 30 games, beating the national record of 29 they shared with Vicente del Bosque’s Spain between 2010 and 2013. Defeat erased any hope Georgia had of a playoff place.
Kosovo maintained hopes of a first World Cup finals appearance with a 2-0 win over 10-man Slovenia in Ljubljana. But Kosovo look set for a runners-up spot given the superior goal difference of Switzerland (who defeated Sweden 2-1) going into their match in Pristina on Tuesday.
Denmark had to come from behind to grab a 2-2 draw with Belarus, missing a golden opportunity to put themselves in the driving seat in World Cup qualifying Group C as second-placed Scotland lost 3-2 in Greece.
Denmark got off to a superb start when Mikkel Damsgaard gave them the lead with a dipping shot and for long stretches it looked as if Belarus, who lost 6-0 at home to Denmark, would endure another hiding. However, the home side failed to convert any of their numerous chances and the visitors ripped up the script in the second half when Valery Gromyko levelled, dancing through the right channel and steering the ball past Kasper Schmeichel for a most unlikely equaliser.
There was worse to come for the hosts as Gromyko played in Nikita Demchenko three minutes later, and he scored with a first-time finish to stun the home crowd into silence. Gustav Isaksen’s equaliser in the 79th minute prompted an all-out attack from Denmark, but they had they could not fashion a winner, and must get at least a point in Scotland on Tuesday to ensure automatic qualification.
Marko Arnautovic scored twice as Austria won 2-0 in Cyprus to sit two points clear at the top of Group H. Bosnia and Herzegovina beat 10-man Romania 3-1 in Zenica to also guarantee at least a playoff place going into their final match in Austria.
