Euro 2016: What do Holland need to do to qualify?

Northern Ireland stunned Europe to top Group F and reach their first ever European Championship finals, and their first major tournament since 1986. First things first, they have to beat the second-placed Czech Republic at home to have any chance of claiming a play-off place. However, the news filtered through to the Turkish national team at Konya Buyuksehir Stadium that Netherlands had lost 2-3 to the Czech and that not only were they through to the playoffs but by virtue of being the best third-placed team from all 9 groups they had gone through directly to the main event.

Germany may have suffered a defeat by Republic of Ireland late in the campaign but the world champions still qualify as group winners in front of a Poland side who boasted the top scorer in Robert Lewandowski with 13 goals.

There are a quite a few surprise entries into the Euro 2016 which include, Wales, Iceland, Northern Ireland and Albania. Their tough and stubborn defence line which conceded only four goals during the qualifiers helped the Wales team to go through.

Northern Ireland’s Gareth McAuley and Jamie Ward are ecstatic after qualifying for the Euros.

Ukraine and Norway had more points than Turkey but they didn’t qualify because they had lesser points than Turkey once results against the sides finishing last were not counted.

It was exactly what Turkey went through as they could only win their tie against group toppers Iceland 1-0 and await the result of the Netherlands game which could potentially deny them a spot at the Euro 2016 finals.

Hungary, Ukraine, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Republic of Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Slovenia will battle it out in the play-offs.

France, as hosts, are automatically placed in position one in Group A next summer, which means they will not figure in the draw and already know they with play the tournament’s opening game at the Stade de France on Friday 10 June.

The Euro 2016 play-off draw will take place on Sunday 18 October from 10:20am onwards at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland.