The action packed World Cup qualifiers yet again did not disappoint the neutrals, but will give the club managers a headache as some players will return back injured. A quick look at the Groups and the Results.
Group A :
Wales get a beating from the Serbs
Gareth Bale scored an amazing free-kick for Wales against Serbia – but it was scant consolation on a night to forget for Wales as Serbia emphatically won 6-1. Aleksandar Kolarov, Zoran Tosic, Filip Djuricic, Dusan Tadic, Branislav Ivanovic and Miralem Sulejmani netted for the hosts.
Belgium drew 1-1 against Croatia and these two teams are tied along with Serbia on 4 points each after 2 games.
Group B :
Italy 2-0 Malta
It was another good day at the office for the Italians as they beat Malta 2-0 with goals coming from Mattia Destro and Andrea Pirlo’s corner was headed in by Federico Peluso.
In the other game Bulgaria beat Armenia 1-0.
Group C :
Germans had to work hard against Austria.
Germany continued their 100 per cent start, but were made to work hard in Austria and eventually won the game 1-2. Marco Reus scored in 44 minutes to give the lead and Ozil made converted his spot kick to make it 2.Two players from German club Werder Bremen combined for Austria’s reply on 57 minutes, as Marko Arnautovic teed up Zlatko Junuzovic.
Austria pressed hard for the equalizer for the rest of the game but the Germans defence managed to stay put.
Sweeden beat Kazakhstan in the other match of the group.
Group D :
Van Persie Injures thigh as Holland win against Hungary :
Manchester United’s Robin Van Persie was taken off at half time with a suspected thigh injury. But this did not effect the Dutch as they comfortably won 4-1 against Hungary.
Van Persie took two knees to the thigh in a challenge with the Hungarian defender Roland Juhasz and was replaced by Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. Van Gaal said: “We took off Robin for precautionary measures. It doesn’t seem to be too serious, but you never know. We didn’t want to take any risks.”
Jeremain Lens scored twice to help Holland to two wins out of two so far.
In the other Group D matches, Romania crushed Andorra 4-0 and Turkey recovered from their opening night defeat with a 3-0 home win against Estonia.
Group E :
Switzerland are the early pace-setters in this group, with Xherdan Shaqiri and Gokhan Inler scoring in a 2-0 win over Albania.
Norway needed a penalty from John Arne Riise in the fifth minute of stoppage time to beat Slovenia 2-1 and get their qualification hopes back on track after defeat to Iceland on Friday.
In the night’s other game, Cyprus beat Iceland 1-0.
Group F :
Russia and Portugal are early pace setters.
Russia beat Israel 4-0 with Alexander Kerzhakov scoring twice .
Portugal beat Azerbaijan 3-0. They hit the woodwork 4 times and all goals came in the second half after a goalless first half. Silvestre Varela made the breakthrough on 63 minutes. Helder Postiga and Bruno Alves scored in the final five minutes to make it 3.
Group G :
Bosnia beat Latvia 4-1 with Dzeko scoring once.
Greece beat Lithuania 2-0,goals coming from Sotiris Ninis and Kostas Mitroglou.
Slovakia beat Liechtenstein 2-0.
Group H :
Lampard scores a late equalizer to save England from an embarrassing loss after Gerrard was sent off.
Gerrard was sent off after getting his second yellow of the nightAlready missing Wayne Rooney, John Terry and Ashley Cole because of injuries, England finished a man short after Steven Gerrard was ejected in the 88th for his second yellow card.
Montenegro trounced San Marino 6-0 to take the group leadership on goal difference from England.
Poland beat Moldova 2-0 thanks to a Jakub Blaszczykowski penalty and a second from Jakub Wawrzyniak.
Group I :
Spain unconvincing in victory
The final group saw Roberto Soldado score an 88th minute winner as Spain beat Georgia 1-0.
France made it two wins from two with a 3-1 win over Belarus. Goals from two young players, Etienne Capoue and Christophe Jallet, their first for France, got things moving and after Anton Putsila gave Belarus hope, Franck Ribery made sure with a third ten minutes from the end.