International updates: Andrich makes debut – Croatia through to Euro 2024

+++ 22.11: Argentina and Ecuador win World Cup qualifiers +++

The last two international fixtures involving Bayer 04 players were played overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday. Argentina beat Brazil 1-0 in the big match in the South American World Cup qualifiers but Exequiel Palacios did not play this time. The current world champions have retained top spot with 15 out of a possible 18 points.

And Ecuador, with Piero Hincapie suspended, also won 1-0 in their encounter with Chile. Hincapie and Co. now have eight points from six games.

+++ 21.11: Croatia progress to finals with win – Switzerland lose +++

Congratulations, Josip Stanisic! Thanks to a 1-0 victory, Croatia secured progress to Euro 2024 finishing second in Group D behind Turkey. Stanisic was in the starting XI and he was substituted on 50 minutes.

Switzerland lost 1-0 against Romania. Like Croatia, Switzerland, with Granit Xhaka again playing the full 90 minutes, have qualified for next year's finals as the second-placed team in Group I.

+++ 21.11: Germany lose on Andrich debut +++

Germany lost 2-0 in Vienna in a friendly against Austria. Jonathan Tah again played the full 90 minutes as he did against Turkey (2-3), Florian Wirtz and Robert Andrich came on after the hour mark. For Andrich it was his debut for the national team. Jonas Hofmann, the fourth Werkself player in the Germany squad, did not play.

+++ 21.11: Adli and Co. make winning start to World Cup qualifiers+++

Morocco won their first match in Group E in the African World Cup qualifiers. Werkself player Amine Adli played up to 72 minutes in a 2-0 win against Tanzania.

+++ 21.11: Tapsoba starts in win for Burkina Faso +++

Burkina Faso picked up three important points in Group A of the African World Cup qualifiers. They secured a 3-0 win against Ethiopia on Tuesday afternoon with Werkself player Edmond Tapsoba playing for the full 90 minutes.

+++ 20.11: Czechia through to finals – Finland in play-offs +++

Czechia beat Moldova 3-0 on Monday night in the finale of the Euro qualifiers and have therby sealed their place at Euro 2024 next year. Werkself player Adam Hlozek was in the starting XI and he played for 58 minutes, goalkeeper Matej Kovar did not play. Czechia end the group stage in second place behind fellow qualifiers Albania.

Finland – this time without captain Lukas Hradecky – won 2-1 against San Marino in their final qualifier. The Finns finished in fourth place in Group H. It is possible they can still qualify via the play-offs in March.

+++ 19.11: Spain seal group win +++

Spain registered a seventh win in their eighth and final EURO 2024 qualifier. The Selección finished top of Group A after a 3-1 victory over Georgia on Sunday night. Werkself player Alejandro Grimaldo, who made his international debut three days earlier, did not play. Scotland ended up second in Group A and are also in next summer’s finals.

+++ 19.11: Tella starts in debut for Nigeria +++

Following on from Alejandro Grimaldo with Spain, Nathan Tella also made his international debut during this international break. The 24-year-old started for Nigeria in the 1-1 draw with Zimbabwe on Sunday afternoon. He made way for Leverkusen team-mate Victor Boniface at the start of the second half. It was the second draw for Nigeria in the second match in their World Cup qualifying group.

+++ 18.11: Switzerland in Euro 2024 finals +++

Switzerland, with captain Granit Xhaka in the starting line-up, drew 1-1 with Kosovo on Saturday night and are now qualified for the Euro 2024 finals. The Swiss are currently second in Group I. Also qualified are the current leaders Romania. The two teams meet on Tuesday to decide who wins the group.

+++ 18.11: Germany lose to Turkey - Croatia win +++

Germany lost 3-2 in the friendly against Turkey. Jonathan Tah and Florian Wirtz were in the starting XI with the latter substituted on 71 minutes. Jonas Hofmann and Robert Andrich did not play. Germany have another friendly on Tuesday against Austria with the match in Vienna kicking off at 20.45 CET.

Croatia beat Latvia 2-0 in their penultimate Euro 2024 qualifier. Josip Stanisic was in the starting line-up and played the full 90 minutes. The win takes Croatia into second place in Group D and they continue to be in with a chance of qualifying for Euro 2024.

+++ 17.11: Hradecky's Eagle Owls win - Czechia stay second +++

Finland, with Bayer 04 keeper Lukas Hradecky in goal, won their Euro qualifier against Northern Ireland. Hradecky led the Eagle Owls onto the pitch as captain in the 4-0 win in Helsinki. The former Leverkusen player Joel Pohjanpalo opened the scoring the penalty spot. Hradecky and Co. play their last game play in Group H against bottom-placed San Marino on Monday.

Czechia held on to second place in Group E and qualification for next year's finals remains in their own hands. They drew 1-1 with Poland. Werkself player Adam Hlozek came on for the second half but his Leverkusen team-mate and keeper Matej Kovar did not play. A win against Moldova in their final group match on Monday would seal qualification for Euro 2024.

+++ 17.11: Frimpong leaves due to a hip problem +++

Jeremie Frimpong has left the Netherlands squad ahead of the final two Euro qualifiers against Ireland in Gibraltar. The 20-year-old has a slight hip problem. The target for Frimpong is to be fit again for the next Bundesliga game for the Werkself away to Werder Bremen (25 November).

+++ 17.11: Draw for Hincapie and Co., Argentina lose +++

Piero Hincapie with Ecuador and Exequiel Palacios with Argentina played their first games in the current international break overnight. Ecuador, with Hincapie in the starting XI and playing the full 90 minutes, drew 0-0 with Venezuela and they are now in sixth place in the South American World Cup qualifiers. The World Cup holders Argentina lost 2-0 against Uruguay – the first defeat since the 2022 World Cup – but they remain top of the group. Werkself player Palacios came on as a substitute on 64 minutes.

+++ 16.11: Grimaldo provides assist in Spain debut +++

A dream came true for Werkself player Alejandro Grimaldo on Thursday night: The 28-year-old wingback, called up by Spain for the first time, was in the starting line-up in the 3-1 win against Cyprus in his first international outing. Grimaldo provided the assist for the goal at 2-0 in the Euro 2024 qualifier. The technically gifted left footer is caarying on seamlessly from his previous performances for the Werkself (14 goals and assists in 17 games). Spain are top of Group A on 18 points in the Euro 2024 qualifiers. The last qualifier is against Georgia on Sunday 19 November. The Selección qualified for the Euros in the last international break.

+++ 16.11: Draw for Boniface and Nigeria in World Cup qualifier +++

Nigeria drew 1-1 with Lesotho in their first qualifier for the 2026 World Cup. Werkself striker Victor Boniface was in the starting line-up in the draw and he played the full 90 minutes. Nathan Tella did not play. The other opponents in qualifying Group C are Zimbabwe, Ruanda, Benin and South Africa. Nigeria's next game is against Zimbabwe on 19 November.

+++ 16.11: Morocco World Cup qualifier called off+++

The first World Cup qualifier for Morocco against Eritrea set for Thursday night has been called off. The reason for that is the withdrawal of Eritrea from the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. That means the first opponents for Amine Adli and Co. in Group E, which now has five teams, are Tanzania. The match will be played on Tuesday 21 November.

+++ 15.11: Xhaka sole Switzerland record holder +++

Werkself player Granit Xhaka is now the leading record appearance holder for Switzerland. The 31-year-old earned his 119th international cap for Switzerland in a 1-1 draw with Israel on Wednesday night in a Euro 2024 qualifier played in St Gallen – that means he has played one more international than Heinz Hermann who he previously shared first place with. Xhaka, the captain of Switzerland, made his international debut in June 2011.

Xhaka played the full 90 minutes against Israel. The point sees Switzerland top of the table in their Euro 2024 qualifying group. They still have two games to play and the lead over third place is four points.

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