Sweden missed out of Euro 2024 qualification after their match with Belgium was abandoned due to the shooting of two swede fans in Brussels on Monday evening in the vicinity of the stadium.
Austria sealed a place at Euro 2024 on Monday but Sweden missed out on the finals for the first time in 28 years on a night in which their fixture with Belgium was abandoned at halftime after two Swedish nationals were shot dead in Brussels.
Upon hearing about the killing of the two swedes and with the score still at 1-1 at halftime in the Group F game, the Swedes requested that the match be abandoned.
A spokesman for the Belgian federal prosecutor, Eric van Duyse, urged the public to “go home and stay at home as long as the threat has not been eradicated”.
He said a man claiming to be the attacker had said in a video on social media he had been inspired by the Islamic State group.
Austria’s 1-0 victory over Azerbaijan, earned via a second half penalty from substitute Marcel Sabitzer following Rahil Mammadov’s handball, was enough to book a ticket for next year’s tournament in Germany at the expense of the Swedes.
The video and others uploaded during the attack are being verified by police and authorities in Belgium.
Meanwhile, in Brussels, Viktor Gyokeres had put Sweden in front, but Romelu Lukaku equalised from the penalty spot.
Belgium have already booked their place at the finals in Germany next year, while Sweden cannot qualify.
These results means that Belgium and Austria will represent group F at next year’s Euro competiton holding in Germany.