Spain, Germany go on a rampage
Source: Agencies |
October 14, 2012, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
SPAIN and hat-trick hero Pedro turned on the style in a 4-0 World Cup qualifying win in Belarus amid a television blackout while Germany had Irish viewers turning off in droves as it romped to a 6-1 away win on Friday.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's 75th-minute winner salvaged a 2-1 victory for Sweden, which was 0-1 down to the 158th-ranked Faroe Islands, while Italy also enjoyed a second-half surge to prevail 3-1 in Armenia.
England labored to a 5-0 win over San Marino at Wembley while its former boss Fabio Capello was thrilled with new side Russia's 1-0 home win over Portugal which gave the Euro 2012 flop three wins from three to top Group F.
Spain's game was not televised in its debt-ridden home nation as no broadcaster agreed to pay the price set by rights holder Sportfive to show the Group I match.
Vicente Del Bosque's side got straight down to business and was 2-0 up inside the first quarter of the match in Minsk, with Jordi Alba and Pedro on the scoresheet. Pedro then grabbed two more after the break, outpacing the defense for his second and combining with Barcelona teammate Cesc Fabregas for his third as Spain made it two wins from two.
"We were superior and we didn't let them play," Del Bosque told a news conference ahead of Tuesday's visit of France, which suffered a shock 0-1 loss to Japan in a Paris friendly.
Germany made it a maximum nine points in Dublin with Marco Reus putting the Group C leader 2-0 up inside 40 minutes.
Giovanni Trapattoni's Ireland was never in the game as it suffered a record-equalling home defeat as a Mesut Ozil penalty, a trademark Miroslav Klose finish and two classy Toni Kroos goals completed the rout.
England returned to the Group H summit but was less than sparkling against tiny San Marino.
England's nervy coach Roy Hodgson, whose side make the tricky trip to Poland on Tuesday, had to wait until the 35th minute for a goal which came from a Wayne Rooney penalty.
The striker added another in between Manchester United teammate Danny Welbeck's well-taken double before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain netted the fifth with his first international goal after 77 minutes.
In South America, Colombia and Ecuador racked up impressive home wins in World Cup qualifying on Friday, only to be overshadowed by Lionel Messi and surging Argentina.
Messi scored two goals and Sergio Aguero added another to overpower Uruguay 3-0, keeping the Argentines in first place in the qualifying standings for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Argentina has 17 points, one more than Colombia and Ecuador and five ahead of Uruguay and Chile. The top four teams go directly to Brazil 2014.
Colombia defeated Paraguay 2-0, with Radamel Falcao scoring two second-half goals, while Ecuador defeated Chile 3-1.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's 75th-minute winner salvaged a 2-1 victory for Sweden, which was 0-1 down to the 158th-ranked Faroe Islands, while Italy also enjoyed a second-half surge to prevail 3-1 in Armenia.
England labored to a 5-0 win over San Marino at Wembley while its former boss Fabio Capello was thrilled with new side Russia's 1-0 home win over Portugal which gave the Euro 2012 flop three wins from three to top Group F.
Spain's game was not televised in its debt-ridden home nation as no broadcaster agreed to pay the price set by rights holder Sportfive to show the Group I match.
Vicente Del Bosque's side got straight down to business and was 2-0 up inside the first quarter of the match in Minsk, with Jordi Alba and Pedro on the scoresheet. Pedro then grabbed two more after the break, outpacing the defense for his second and combining with Barcelona teammate Cesc Fabregas for his third as Spain made it two wins from two.
"We were superior and we didn't let them play," Del Bosque told a news conference ahead of Tuesday's visit of France, which suffered a shock 0-1 loss to Japan in a Paris friendly.
Germany made it a maximum nine points in Dublin with Marco Reus putting the Group C leader 2-0 up inside 40 minutes.
Giovanni Trapattoni's Ireland was never in the game as it suffered a record-equalling home defeat as a Mesut Ozil penalty, a trademark Miroslav Klose finish and two classy Toni Kroos goals completed the rout.
England returned to the Group H summit but was less than sparkling against tiny San Marino.
England's nervy coach Roy Hodgson, whose side make the tricky trip to Poland on Tuesday, had to wait until the 35th minute for a goal which came from a Wayne Rooney penalty.
The striker added another in between Manchester United teammate Danny Welbeck's well-taken double before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain netted the fifth with his first international goal after 77 minutes.
In South America, Colombia and Ecuador racked up impressive home wins in World Cup qualifying on Friday, only to be overshadowed by Lionel Messi and surging Argentina.
Messi scored two goals and Sergio Aguero added another to overpower Uruguay 3-0, keeping the Argentines in first place in the qualifying standings for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Argentina has 17 points, one more than Colombia and Ecuador and five ahead of Uruguay and Chile. The top four teams go directly to Brazil 2014.
Colombia defeated Paraguay 2-0, with Radamel Falcao scoring two second-half goals, while Ecuador defeated Chile 3-1.
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