LONDON: Russia are returning to the European Championship for the fourth straight time, while Slovakia will be playing in the tournament for the first time as an independent nation.
Russia, who host the World Cup in 2018, made sure they will be guests at France’s party next year with a 2-0 win over Montenegro in Moscow on Monday, securing second place in Group ‘G’ behind group winners Austria.
Slovakia defeated Luxembourg 4-2 to finish second to Spain in Group ‘C’, guaranteeing their first finals’ appearance since they played as a member of the Czechoslovakia in 1992.
Ukraine, Slovenia and Sweden will have to try to qualify through the playoffs.
The top two teams from the nine groups qualify automatically. The best third-placed team also advances, while the other eight meet in a playoff — the draw for which takes place on Sunday.
But both Russia and Slovakia avoided that ordeal by winning on Monday.
Russia booked their place with victory over Montenegro at the Otkrytie Arena in Moscow with Oleg Kuzmin scoring his first goal for his country after 33 minutes and Alexander Kokorin adding a second with a penalty shortly afterwards.
Russia’s qualification had looked in the balance when Fabio Capello was still head coach but his replacement Leonid Slutskiy guided Russia to four wins, beginning with a vital defeat of Sweden.
“The final step is always the hardest, but the players were excellent,” said a delighted Slutskiy. “They managed to turn around what was turning out to be a qualification process which was running out of hope.”
Sweden needed a setback by Russia to finish second in the group but their 2-0 win over Moldova saw them finish with 18 points, two less than Russia and 10 behind Austria.
Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic put Sweden ahead in Solna with his 59th international goal and eighth in eight qualifiers in the 24th, before Erkan Zengin doubled the lead three minutes after half-time.
Marko Arnautovic scored once and Marc Janko netted a brace as Austria completed their unbeaten qualifying campaign with a straightforward 3-0 win over Liechtenstein in Vienna.