(MENAFN- Arab Times) Czech Republic qualified for Euro 2016 as one of the top two teams from qualifying Group A after holding off a late fightback to beat hosts Latvia 2-1 on Sunday.
David Limbersky and Vladmir Darida scored the first-half goals to lift the Czechs to 19 points, out of the reach of third placed Turkey (12 points) and Netherlands (10) with two matches to play next month.
Iceland, on 18 points, can secure their berth later on Sunday when they host bottom placed Kazakhstan, needing only draw.
The Czechs finished nervously as they dealt with a late rally from Latvia, who pulled a goal back through Arturs Zjurzins with 17 minutes left and then gallantly tried without success to find an equaliser.
But it was their early dominance that laid the platform for Czech success with two goals inside the first half hour.
Limbersky's opening goal came after just 13 minutes at the end of a smart short corner routine and a powerful shot from close range as Latvia's defence were caught napping.
Darida drove home a shot from the edge of the penalty area to double the lead.
Latvia rarely threatened until Zjurzins turned inside the Czech defence and had a chance right in front of goal in the 35th minute but saw his effort brilliantly parried away by Petr Cech, brought into action for the first time.
The Czech captain also foiled a touch on by Igors Tarasovs from a dangerous free kick just before the hour mark but was beaten by Zjurzins's effort in the 73rd minute.
Latvia were applauded off for their late efforts but the Czechs celebrated with nervous relief in front of some 300 travelling away fans as they booked their place at the finals in France next year.
Turkey 3, Netherlands 0
In Konya, Turkey, the Netherlands' hopes of making the Euro 2016 finals hung by a thread on Sunday after last year's World Cup semi-finalists were convincingly downed 3-0 by a well-organised Turkey.
In front of 40,000 Turkish supporters creating a hostile atmosphere in the packed-out Konya arena, Turkey combined cohesion with physicality as the Dutch fell short in every department.
An early strike by Oguzhan Ozyakup of Besiktas was followed by a second from Barcelona's Arda Turan and then a killer third from Burak Yilmaz.
The Netherlands' star Turkey-based players Wesley Sneijder and Robin Van Persie meanwhile failed to make any impact up front.
With the Czech Republic clinching qualification on Sunday and Iceland set to take the second automatic qualification spot going in Group A, Turkey and the Netherlands are in a straight fight for third and likely entry into the play-offs for the finals in France.
Defeat was a body blow for new Dutch coach Danny Blind, who has now lost both his matches in charge following Thursday's 1-0 loss to Iceland.
Ozyakup gave Turkey a dream start in the eighth minute, causing wild excitement among the Konya crowd including Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu who hails from the central region.
Rushing through from midfield, Ozyakup connected with an inch-perfect pass from Turan and slotted the ball neatly past goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen as the Dutch defence vaporised.
The Dutch nightmare continued in the 26th minute when Turan surged into the penalty area past the hapless Stefan de Vrij to wedge the ball past Cillessen and the near post.
With the Netherlands misfiring in attack and defence, Georginio Wijnaldum could only head a chance metres wide in the second half despite being left unmarked.
Turkey's tight defence piled behind the ball in the closing minutes and the lacklustre Sneijder and Van Persie never looked like scoring.
Burak Yilmaz of Galatasaray then hammered a devastating nail into the Dutch coffin in the 86th minute with a third goal following a spectacular solo run down the left wing by Caner Erkin.
Turan, Turkey's talisman who signed for Barcelona from Atletico Madrid over the summer, performed sharply despite sitting out the start of the Spanish season due to the Catalan club's FIFA-imposed ban on registering new signings until January.
But lacking match fitness and collapsing to his knees in exhaustion at the end of the first half, coach Fatih Terim substituted Turan in the 56th minute for Volkan Sen.
Wales 0, Israel 0
In Cardiff, United Kingdom, Wales will have to wait to secure a historic qualification for next year's European Championship after a frustrating 0-0 draw with Israel at the Cardiff City Stadium on Sunday.
Needing victory to reach a first major tournament since the 1958 World Cup, the unbeaten Group B leaders dominated the game, but were unable to land a knockout blow against Israel goalkeeper Ofir Marciano.
They now require two points from their final two qualifiers next month, away to Bosnia-Herzegovina and at home to minnows Andorra, but could yet qualify if Belgium fail to win in Cyprus later on Sunday.
Gareth Bale's headed winner against Cyprus on Thursday had set Chris Coleman's side up for a memorable night - and against the same opponents Wales had beaten to reach the 1958 World Cup - and there was the added incentive that a win would have lifted them to fourth in the FIFA ranking.
But while the Real Madrid star endured a disappointing evening, Wales did manage to record a fifth consecutive competitive clean sheet for the first time ever, and their destiny remains in their own hands.
On a sunny afternoon in south Wales there were frayed nerves aplenty among the home support and Aaron Ramsey took it upon himself to settle them, dropping deep to collect the ball and establish the hosts' passing tempo.
The Arsenal man had a volley blocked inside two minutes and with Israel struggling to adapt to a 5-3-2 system and Wales springing men forward from midfield, it was a sign of things to come in the first 20 minutes.
Hal Robson-Kanu spurned a couple of half-chances before creating an opportunity for Andy King, who burst into the area down the inside-right channel and forced Marciano to save with his legs.
The ball ballooned into the air, but with the net gaping Ramsey headed over.
A near-post flick from Robson-Kanu drew Marciano into action again, but as the half wore on the visitors belatedly settled, dropping into their own half and challenging Wales to pass the ball through them.
Israel coach Eli Guttman made two half-time changes, introducing Tal Ben Haim II - whose namesake, the former Chelsea defender Tal Ben Haim I, was playing at centre-back - and Tomer Hemed.
But they did not deviate from their approach, obliging Wales to continue to probe for gaps.
Robson-Kanu headed over from a Jazz Richards cross, while Bale twice drove shots over the bar, first from open play, then from a free-kick just outside the box.
Shortly beyond the hour, a corner from Ramsey picked out King, whose powerful header had the home fans springing from their seats, but Marciano plunged to his left to save.
Wales cried handball in vain when a floated cross from Bale struck Eytan Tibi's hand and from the resulting corner, David Edwards drew an unorthodox save from Marciano with a near-post volley.
Coleman introduced strikers Simon Church and Sam Vokes in the closing stages, but Israel might have snatched victory had Hemed managed to keep a diving header below the bar.
Bale, Wales' top scorer in qualifying with six goals, finally mustered a shot on target in the 87th minute, but Marciano was equal to his low shot and also saved from Ramsey.
Church did beat him in the dying seconds, heading home from Bale's flick-on, but his celebrations were cut short by an offside flag.
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