Albania reach first ever major tournament, as Germany, Romania and Poland also seal Euro 2016 places
World Cup winners leave it late against Georgia, while Lewandowski is on target yet again to condemn Ireland to playoffs
World champions Germany and perennial also-rans Albania do not share much in common in soccer but both were united in joy on Sunday when they qualified for Euro 2016 in France along with Romania and Poland.
The World Cup winners, who have lifted the Henri Delaunay trophy three times as European champions, left it late but sealed their spot with a 2-1 win over already-eliminated Georgia which gave them top spot in Group D.
Albania, who have never previously reached the World Cup or European Championship since first entering both in the mid-1960s as a secretive state shrouded in hard-line communist aloofness, secured their place with a 3-0 win over Armenia in Yerevan.
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Thousands of their supporters in both Albania and Kosovo, where a number of the Albania players were born, took to the streets, letting off fireworks and driving around towns and cities hooting their car horns in celebration.
Poland finished behind Germany with a 2-1 win over Ireland in Warsaw forcing the Irish into the playoffs. The winner was a stunning diving header by striker Robert Lewandowski who took his tally to a record-equalling 13 for a single Euro campaign.
Romania also secured their berth in France when they won 3-0 in the wintry Faroe Islands to secure second place in Group F behind already-qualified Northern Ireland.