Goal! Weekly Article 32: European World Cup Qualifiers

EUROPEAN INTERNATIONALS WRAP
By Julius Ross
It is still two whole years until the kick–off of football’s most prestigious tournament, but European qualifying for the 2010 World Cup began this weekend as the lengthy process of determining the world’s finest football teams commenced.
As European domestic leagues across the continent had a rest, players set aside club rivalries in an endeavour to help their nations secure glory.
GROUP ONE
Commencing with the results of Group One of the first qualifying round, and Portugal made amends for a disappointing Euro 2008 campaign by demolishing Malta at the Ta’Qali National Stadium.
After leading the first half 1-0 – courtesy of an own-goal - the Portuguese turned it on in a sensational 17-minute second-half spell.
Werder Bremen’s Hugo Almeida netted the second and Althetico Madrid’s Simao pounced on the rebound to make the score line 3-0.
Chelsea’s new star signing Deco set club rivalries aside as he set up national team-mate and Manchester United winger Nani for the fourth, wrapping up a convincing 4-0 drubbing of the European minnows Malta.
Elsewhere in Group One European qualifying, Sweden could only ground out a 0-0 draw against lowly Albania, whilst Hungary and Denmark shared the spoils with the same score line.
GROUP TWO
Group Two produced a few more goals than its preceding group fixtures with 10 goals coming from three matches.
Greece made a commanding start to their World Cup qualifying campaign, as they thumped Luxembourg 3-0, goals coming from Vassilis Torosidis and Fanis Gekas in the first half, before Greek hero Angelos Charisteas put the result beyond doubt with a 77th-minute penalty.
Greece are looking to qualify for their first World Cup since their only appearance in the United States in 1994.
Latvia secured three vital points in their closely contested tussle with Moldova, surviving late pressure to hold on for an important 2-1 away win.
A stoppage-time equaliser handed Israel a point against Euro 2008 co-host Switzerland, as Ottmar Hitzfeld’s side surrendered a 2-0 lead.
Clinical set-piece goals from Hakin Yakin and Blaise N’Kufo sent the Swiss on their way, but Israeli captain Yossi Benayoun sparked a revival for the home side as he reduced the deficit on 76 minutes.
In the closing stages, Israeli goalkeeper Dudu Awat sent a hopeful ball into the Swiss half, only to see substitute Moshe Ohayon centre for fellow sub Sahar to poke home and grab a point which had previously looked all but lost.
GROUP THREE
Slovakia was the only team from Group Three to take all three points on the opening day of qualifiers as they defeated Northern Ireland 2-1 in Bratislava on Saturday.
Set-pieces provided the lethal blow to Ireland’s hopes, as Liverpool’s defender Martin Skrtel and Napoli’s Marek Hamsik punished Ireland’s slack marking on dead ball situations.
Nigel Worthington’s Ireland applied late pressure on the hosts, forcing a Jan Durica own goal which ensured a nervy ending to the match, but the British side were unable to force their way back into the fixture and steal a point.
Fellow Group Three contestants Poland and Slovenia played out a 1-1 draw with Poland captain Michal Zewlakow slotting home only his third successful penalty in 81 internationals and Zlatko Dedic replying for Slovenia.
GROUP FOUR
Liechtenstein were taught a footballing lesson in Group Four, where Germany smashed six goals past the European cannon fodder.
A brace from Lukas Podolski and goals from Simon Rolfes, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Hitzlsperger and Heiko Westermann ensured the Mannschaft would start their 2010 qualifying in a confident fashion.
Teenager Sam Vokes was Wales’ hero in the other Group Four match, as his first senior goal for his nation secured a late win in Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium against Azerbaijan.
GROUP FIVE
Euro 2008 champions Spain continued their terrific form from Europe’s top tournament as they secured a comfortable 1-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in Group five action.
Spanish starlet David Villa missed a penalty for the home side, but made amends as he scored the only goal of the match to seal victory.
Belgium and Estonia played out a five-goal thriller in Liege, with Belgian veteran Wesley Sonck scoring the winner ten minutes from time.
Despite a valiant effort from battling Estonia, Belgium were off to a winning start thanks to Sonck’s decisive late finish which separated the two sides.
Euro 2008 semi-finalists Turkey saw off Armenia 2-0 away from home, with strikes from Middlesborough’s Tuncay Sanli and and Fenerbahce hero Semih Senturk.
GROUP SIX
After winning their first qualifying match 3-0 against Andorra, Kazakhstan were thumped by the same score line against Croatia in Group Six.
Croatia went top of the group on goal difference, and England moved to second spot, after a Joe Cole double secured victory over Andorra.
After failing to qualify for Euro 2008, England’s current manager Fabio Capello is under intense pressure to produce the goods in the 2010 World Cup stakes.
Ukraine’s golden boy and Chelsea drop-out Andriy Shevchencko came off the bench to rescue Ukraine, converting a penalty deep into stoppage time, handing his country maximum points against their European neighbours Belarus in the other Group Six fixture.
GROUP SEVEN
Injury-hit Romania suffered a shock 3-0 loss to Lithuania, as the home side was completely outclassed, with regulars Adrian Mutu, Christian Chivu, Razvan Rat and Banel Nicolita missing from the starting line-up.
Group Seven produced another shock, as France lost 3-1 to Euro 2008 co-hosts Austria.
Both Austria and France had tournaments to forget earlier this year, but Les Blues misery was further compounded as Karl Bruckner’s side played on the counter-attack with sensational results.
Serbia defeated the Faroe Islands 2-0 in the other Group Seven fixture.
GROUP EIGHT
World Cup holder Italy left it late against lowly Cyprus, as a last-gasp Antonio Di Natale strike broke Cyprus hearts.
The Udinese striker opened the scoring with an early goal, and left it late to score his second to hand Italy all three points.
New Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov failed to help his side Montenegro to victory in their first competitive international since separation from Serbia, as a stoppage-time equaliser from Blagoy Georgiev gave Bulgaria a point in the 2-2 draw.
Former Italy manager Giovanni Trapattoni made a winning start in charge of the Republic of Irlenad as Glenn Whelan’s strike gave them a 2-1 away victory over Georgia.
GROUP NINE
Scotland failed to add more British success on the first weekend of World Cup qualifiers as fell to Macedonia 1-0, while Norway and Iceland shared the spoils in an entertaining 2-2 draw in Oslo, to round out the qualifiers on the European continent.