Wales end 57-year wait

PARIS — Wales reached the Finals of an international tournament for the first time since the 1958 World Cup Saturday when it qualified for Euro 2016 despite a 2-0 loss to Bosnia. Wales secured its place when Israel lost 2-1 at home to Cyprus. Belgium also went through from the same Group B, thanks to a 4-1 victory over Andorra. Earlier, Italy also made sure of its place in the finals in France next summer with a 3-1 win in Azerbaijan. The Welsh, Belgium and Italy join already qualified Austria, the Czech Republic, England, France, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland in the 24-team Finals. Bosnia went in front after 71 minutes in Zenica when Miralem Pjanic delivered a long free-kick into the area and substitute Milan Djuric sent a looping header over goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey. Vedad Ibisevic added a second in the dying moments as Bosnia kept their play-off hopes alive. But it didn’t matter for a buoyant Wales as Cyprus stunned Israel 2-1 in Jerusalem thanks to an 80th-minute drive from Jason Demetriou. Belgium inflicted Andorra’s 49th defeat in Euro qualifying, making light of a rain-soaked, plastic pitch to record a 4-1 victory and a fifth European qualification. Marc Wilmots’s side was a goal to the good after 19 minutes when Roma’s Radja Nainggolan scored with a long-range effort which took a slight deflection off Andorra defender Marc Rebes. Three minutes before the break, Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne unleashed a 25-yard free-kick which soared into the top corner of the goal. Ildefons Lima pulled a goal back for Andorra from the penalty spot in the 51st minute before Eden Hazard restored Belgium’s two-goal advantage, also from the spot, five minutes later. Laurent Depoitre added a fourth for Belgium while Hazard missed a late penalty. In Group A, 2014 World Cup semifinalists the Netherlands remains on a knife-edge as far as its hopes are concerned. It enjoyed a 2-1 win in Kazakhstan but Turkey, its rivals for a play-off spot, then stunned the Czech Republic 2-0 to preserve its two-point lead. Iceland and the Czechs had already secured Group A qualification. Georginio Wijnaldum put the Dutch ahead in the 33rd minute in Baku, while Wesley Sneijder added a second on 50 minutes to keep them on track despite Islambek Kuat grabbing a consolation goal deep into added time. Robin Van Persie came on as a late substitute to earn his 100th cap for the Netherlands. In Prague, Selcuk Inan gave Turkey the lead with a 62nd-minute penalty with Hakan Calhanoglu adding a second with 10 minutes left. Iceland, already qualified for its first ever major Finals, drew 2-2 with Latvia. Italy qualified with a 3-1 win over Azerbaijan, while in the same group Norway’s 2-0 win over Malta left them on the brink of also making the finals. Croatia kept up the pressure for an automatic qualifying spot with a 2-0 win over Bulgaria in Zagreb. — AFP