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LONDON — Turkey and Croatia secured the last automatic spots at Euro 2016 in dramatic fashion Tuesday but the Netherlands’ qualifying campaign ended in failure with a home defeat by Czech Republic leaving it out of contention.
The Dutch, European champions in 1988 and World Cup semifinalists last year, finished fourth in their group to miss out on the Finals for the first time since 1984.
Turkey and the Netherlands were both chasing third spot in Group A behind qualified Iceland and the Czechs but the Turks finished as the best third-placed team to qualify automatically for the Finals following its 1-0 home win over Iceland.
It needed to avoid defeat to Iceland, in case the Dutch beat the Czechs, and had an outside hope of finishing as the third-placed team with the best record in the nine qualifying groups if it won and Kazakhstan also beat Latvia.
To its delight that is how the night played out.
Turkey won, the Dutch lost 3-2 and Kazakhstan won 1-0 in Latvia to send the Turks to the Finals for the fourth time.
Before Tuesday’s matches kicked off Hungary had the best third-placed record but it now goes into the playoffs.
Turkey, which finished with 10 men, won with an 89th minute free-kick from Selcuk Inan and the result brought some much needed joy to his compatriots.
Croatia also made it the Finals with a 1-0 win over Malta, but it was touch and go until the closing moments.
Croatia, which started with 17 points, and Norway, which had 19, were both looking for the second automatic qualifying berth in Group H behind group winner Italy.
But while Croatia was winning in Malta, thanks to Ivan Perisic’s 25th minute goal, Norway was also leading in Italy through Alexander Tettey’s 23rd minute goal in Rome.
However, with the finishing line in sight, Norway collapsed, conceding two late goals to Alessandro Florenzi after 73 minutes and Graziano Pelle eight minutes from time, to lose 2-1 and allow Croatia to overtake it.
Norway at least has the consolation of a place in Sunday’s draw for the playoffs, which is more than the Dutch achieved.
World Cup semifinalist last year in Brazil after starting with a 5-1 demolition of Spain, the Dutch were beaten five times in their 10 qualifying matches.
Their hopes were virtually over after they conceded two first-half goals with the Czechs topping the group.
Nothing symbolized the Dutch fall from grace better than Robin Van Persie, who came on for his 101st cap as a substitute and headed into his own goal to put the Czechs 3-0 in front.
It was a far cry from his famous header against Spain in the World Cup last year and, although he scored at the right end later it was nothing more than a consolation.
Seeds for playoffs
Bosnia, Ukraine, Sweden and Hungary will be the four seeded teams for the Euro 2016 playoffs when the draw is made Sunday, UEFA announced Wednesday.
They will be paired with the four other third-placed teams from the just-concluded group stages — Denmark, Ireland, Norway and Slovenia.
In all 24 teams will contest the Euro Finals in France next summer — the most ever — with France assured of qualification as host.
The top two teams from the nine qualification groups made it through as well as Turkey, which was the best-placed team finishing third.
That left four places to be decided in two leg playoffs, contested by the rest of the teams placing third.
The first legs will be held from Nov. 12-14 with the return matches Nov. 15-17. — Agencies
