High-flying Denmark punches ticket to 2022 World Cup

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark became the second European team to qualify for next year’s World Cup by beating Austria 1-0 on Tuesday to maintain the team’s perfect record in its group.

Joakim Maehle’s 53rd-minute goal at Parken Stadium secured an eighth straight qualifying win for the Danes, who have yet to concede in Group F and have the only 100% record.

Germany was the first team to reach the 2022 tournament in Qatar via qualifying, sealing first place in its group on Monday.

Denmark came into World Cup qualifying without star midfielder Christian Eriksen, who is recovering from collapsing during the European Championship after suffering cardiac arrest, but as one of the best teams on the continent having still reached the semifinals at Euro 2020.

With just the first-place finisher qualifying automatically, Denmark holds an unassailable seven-point lead over Scotland, which needed an 86th-minute goal by Lyndon Dykes to beat Faeroe Islands 1-0.

Israel is in third place, four points further back, after a 2-1 victory over Moldova.

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