#InternationalWerkself: Bakker and Co. win U21 Euros qualifier

The Netherlands U21s, with Bayer 04 left-back Mitchel Bakker playing the full 90 minutes, are top of Group E in the European Championship qualifiers. Thanks to a 3-0 victory over Moldova, the Oranje youngsters went above Switzerland in the group. They have a one-point lead.

Direct qualification for the U21 Euros finals is in the hands of Bakker and Co. this week. The final opponents in the qualifiers are Gibraltar (7 June) and Wales (11 June) – and they are currently in the bottom two in the group.

two wins in Afcon qualifiers

Edmond Tapsoba and Odilon Kossounou were also winners in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Tapsoba’s Burkina Faso secured a 2-0 win against Cape Verde in the first game in Group B. The Werkself central defender was in the starting eleven but he had to off on the half-hour mark due to a thigh problem. Get well soon, Eddi. The next match is against Eswatini on 7 June.

Ivory Coast with Kossounou took top spot in Group H. They started with a 3-1 win against Zambia with the Leverkusen defender on the bench. The Ivorians have another international fixture coming up against Lesotho on 9 June.

Diaby and Co. lose

Moussa Diaby was the only player on the losing side for starters. The Werkself winger and the Nations League title holders were on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline against Denmark. Andreas Cornelius, teammate of Bayer 04 homegrown player Emrehan Gedikli at the champions of Turkey Trabzonspor, hit back after Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) scored the opener. Diaby came on in added time to make his fifth full international appearance.

France have another two games in the top group in the Nations League: The Equipe Tricolore play Croatia on 6 June and Austria four days later.

Hincapie und Co. siegen

Ecuador with Werkself player Piero Hincapie played the first of three friendlies in the current international fixtures overnight from Thursday to Friday European time. Pervis Estupinan (FC Villarreal) scored the only goal of the game against Nigeria on three minutes at the New York Red Bulls ground. Hincapie played the full 90 minutes. The World Cup participant has a friendly against Mexico on 6 June and another against Mali five days later.

Tah und Hradecky starten in Nations League

Two other Werkself players start the final international fixtures of the season tonight (Saturday 4 June): Goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky with Finland face Bosnia and Herzegovina at 18.00 CEST and Germany, with Jonathan Tah in the squad, play Italy at 20.45 CEST.

INTERNATIONAL FIXTURES:

Jonathan Tah – Germany

4 June, 20:45 CEST: Italy vs Germany (UEFA Nations League)
7 June, 20:45 CEST: Germany vs England (UEFA Nations League)
11 June, 20.45 CEST: Hungary vs Germany (UEFA Nations League)
14 June, 20.45 CEST: Germany vs Italy (UEFA Nations League)

Lukas Hradecky – Finland

4 June, 18.00 CEST: Finland vs Bosnia & Herzegovina (UEFA Nations League)
7 June, 18.00 CEST: Finland vs Montenegro (UEFA Nations League)
11 June, 20.45 CEST: Romania vs Finland (UEFA Nations League)
14 June, 20.45 CEST: Bosnia & Herzegovina vs Finland (UEFA Nations League)

Moussa Diaby – France

6 June, 20.45 CEST: Croatia vs France (UEFA Nations League)
10 June, 20.45 CEST: Austria vs France (UEFA Nations League)
13 June, 20.45 CEST: France vs Croatia (UEFA Nations League)

Exequiel Palacios – Argentina

5 June, 20.00 CEST: Argentina vs Estonia (Friendly)

Piero Hincapie – Ecuador

6 June, 01.30 CEST: Mexico vs Ecuador (Friendly)
12 June, 23.30 CEST: Ecuador vs Cape Verde (Friendly)

Edmond Tapsoba – Burkina Faso

7 June, 15.00 CEST: Eswatini vs Burkina Faso (AFCON qualifier)

Odilon Kossounou – Ivory Coast

9 June, 21.00 CEST: Lesotho vs Ivory Coast (AFCON qualifier)

Mitchel Bakker – Netherlands U21

7 June, 20.00 CEST: Netherlands U21 vs Gibraltar U21 (Euro qualifier)
11 June, 18.00 CEST: Wales U21 vs Netherlands U21 (Euro qualifier)