World Cup 2014 Qualifying: Round up of Uefa zone qualifiers

Friday night saw the bulk of the opening World Cup 2014 Qualifiers take place in Europe with most of the big guns living up to expectations. Here’s a look at the results from last night’s matches.

Group A

Vincent Kompany scores against Wales on Friday night

Highly talented Belgium made their intentions of ending a 12-year absence from the World Cup clear by beating 10-man Wales at the Cardiff City stadium. With plenty of Premier League faces in their squad, Marc Wilmots’ side ran out 2-0 winners, thanks to captain Vincent Kompany’s difficult looking header from a Dries Mertens corner just before the interval and a late Jan Vertonghen free kick. The home side looked dangerous on the counter largely due to Gareth Bale’s influence but were controversially pegged back by the red card shown to commanding centre half James Collins in the 26th minute. The game tilted heavily in favour of the Belgians as they look to take the early initiative in an open Group A.

In the group’s other game of the night, favourites Croatia edged past former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 1-0 in Igor Stimac’s first competitive game in charge at the Stadion Maksimir in Zagreb. Nikica Jelavic’s second half header proved enough as the home side clearly struggled against an adventurous Macedonian side. Scotland and Serbia battle it out on Saturday evening to complete the opening fixtures.

Group B

SOFIA, BULGARIA – SEPTEMBER 07: Alessandro Diamanti #22 of Italy and Stanislav Manolev #2 of Bulgaria (R) compete for the ball during the FIFA 2014 World Cup Qualifier group B match between Bulgaria and Italy at Vasil Levski National Stadium on September 7, 2012 in Sofia, Bulgaria.

New look Italy survived a scare in Sofia as Cesare Prandelli’s men came away with a point against an entertaining Bulgaria side that maintained their unbeaten home record against the Azzurri. Stanislav Manolev’s stunning 30-metre pile driver put the home side ahead before two quick Pablo Osvaldo goals in four minutes just before the break pegged back Luboslav Penev’s men. Yet Bulgaria showed enough evidence that teams would suffer in their own backyard by carving out a deserved equalizer in the 67th minute.

Elsewhere Armenia find themselves provisional leaders of Group B as they struggled to break down a determined Malta in Ta’Qali before substitute Artur Sarkisov came off the bench to score the winner after 70 minutes. Denmark host Czech Republic later on Saturday to complete the opening group engagements.

Group C

WARSAW, POLAND – JUNE 28: Miroslav Klose (L) of Germany looks on from the bench next to team-mate Mario Gotze before the UEFA EURO 2012 semi final match between Germany and Italy at the National Stadium on June 28, 2012 in Warsaw, Poland.

Germany opened their World Cup qualifying campaign with a comfortable 3-0 victory over a defensively minded Faroe Islands at the AWD Arena in Hannover. With bigger tests awaiting Joachim Lowe’s men, traditional minnows Faroe Islands kept the German attacking force at bay for most of the half hour before Mario Gotze settled the home team’s nerves with a coolly taken goal in the 28th minute. The islanders’ goalkeeper Gunnar Nielsen was easily the night’s man of the match as he single-handedly kept out Germany, containing them to just a single goal in the first half. The Germans, having got the lead, then stroked the ball around in the second half keeping their energy levels intact before Tuesday’s Vienna showdown with local foes Austria as Mesut Ozil added a couple of goals to give Die Mannschaft a 3-0 victory.

The Republic of Ireland survived a massive scare in Astana as hosts Kazakhstan took a first half lead through captain Kairat Nurdauletov’s 37th-minute effort but Irish record goalscorer Robbie Keane struck a penalty in the 89th minute to spare Giovanni Trapattoni’s blushes before the impressive Kevin Doyle, who came on as a second half substitute, volleyed the winner a minute later from a Glenn Whelan free-kick.

Sweden play their opening Group C game at home to Kazakhstan on Tuesday.

Group D

Kevin Strootman of the Netherlands vies for the ball with Mehmet Topal of Turkey during their 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification game in the Netherlands

2010 World Cup finalists Holland began a new era under Louis van Gaal with a significantly changed line up from the one that played at Euro 2012 but the Oranje found life tough going against a spirited Turkey side that thrived on a passionate support from their travelling fans at the Amsterdam ArenA in the night’s most anticipated game. Indeed with a revamped back line of Tim Krul, John Heitinga, Jetro Willems, Daryl Janmaat and Bruno Martins Indi, the Turks carved out the early openings as the home side tried to accustom themselves to the new surroundings.

But in the 17th minute, Robin van Persie repaid his manager’s faith on him by heading in a Wesley Sneijder corner for his 30th international goal. The Manchester United striker is in rich early-season form having scored four goals in two starts for his new club and this made van Gaal pick the former Arsenal captain ahead of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. Turkey responded well after going behind by raiding on the uncertaing Dutch back line but wayward finishing and luck denied them. In fact the home side had to wait until added on time as PSV Eindhoven’s Luciano Narsingh got his team’s second goal by chipping the ball over an onrushing Tolga Zengin.

In the group’s other matches Romania earned a credible 2-0 away victory over Estonia courtesy of goals from Gabriel Torje and Ciprian Marica while Hungary blanked minnows Andorra 5-0 as five different Hungarian players were on the target in Andorra la Vella.

Group E

Kari Arnason celebrates with his teammates as he scores for Iceland against Norway in their 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifier

Iceland secured a famous win on the night as Lars Lagerback masterminded a spirited win over illustrious Scandinavian rivals Norway in Reykjavik. Norway boss Egil Olsen might just have to regret this opening fixture loss in the long term as this group is set to go down to the wire with Switzerland, Slovenia, Albania and Cyprus still to play home and away. Goals from Kari Arnason and Alfred Finnbogason on either half as the home side proved why they are one of the fast-improving European sides against an error strewn Norwegian side.

Switzerland are favourites to go through from this group but Ottmar Hitzfeld’s side still had to show what they are made of by earning three points in Slovenia. A point would have been seen as a good effort but goals from Granit Xhaka and captain Gokhan Inler ensured that the Swiss came out of a difficult trip where many teams in the group would drop points.

Elsewhere Albania claimed an impressive 3-1 victory over Cyprus in Tirana as substitutes Edgar Cani and Erjon Bogdani scored late on in the match.

Group F

Viktor Fazyulin of Russia celebrates his goal against Northern Ireland in his team’s FIFA 2014 World Cup qualifier in Moscow, Russia

Fabio Capello’s first competitive match in charge went according to plans as Russia comfortably beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in Moscow. Goals in each half from Viktor Fayzulin and a late penalty from Roman Shirokov underlined Russia’s group credentials as favourites Portugal survived a scare in little Luxembourg as the home side earned a shock lead after 13 minutes via Portuguese-born Luxembourgian Daniel da Mota. But Cristiano Ronaldo levelled things up in the 27th minute before Helder Postiga secured all three points at the noisy Josy Barthel stadium with a cool finish after fifty three minutes.

Israel were held to a 1-1 draw by Azerbaijan in Baku in Eli Gutman’s first competitive match in charge.

Group G

Edin Dzeko heads the ball home en route to his hat-trick against home team Liechtenstein as Bosnia run out 8-1 winners

Bosnia and Herzegovina recorded their biggest ever victory by thumping tiny Leichtenstein 8-1 in Vaduz with two hat-tricks producing the night’s most productive result. Edin Dzeko and Vedad Ibicevic struck the hat-tricks as Zvjezdan Misimovic scored a brace to take him to Bosnia’s all time record goalscorer only to be beaten by Manchester City‘s Dzeko later in the night who is now the leading goal scorer ahead of team-mate Zvezjdan Misimovic.

Euro 2012 quarter finalists Greece secured a tough come from behind win over Latvia in Riga as Fernando Santos’ side kicked off their World Cup qualifying campaign with all three points after Nikos Spyropoulos and Fanis Gekas scored second half goals to neutralize Aleksandrs Caunas’ first half penalty.

Ten-man Slovakia produced a resolute defensive display aided by some excellent goalkeeping by Jan Mucha to earn a 1-1 draw in Lithuania. The home side themselves were reduced to ten men late in the match.

Group H

CHISINAU, MOLDOVA – SEPTEMBER 07: Goalkeeper Joe Hart of England applauds the fans after the FIFA 2014 World Cup qualifier match between Moldova and England at Zimbru Stadium on September 7, 2012 in Chisinau, Moldova.

Frank Lampard answered his critics with a dominant display that earned him two goals in a 5-0 mauling of Moldova in Chisinau, taking the Chelsea man ahead of Sir Geoff Hurst in England’s scoring books. Just as he is happy with England’s younger generation with last night’s five star performance, Roy Hodgson has warned his younger players that the likes of Lampard and Terry are here to stay in the England squad and are firmly in his plans for Brazil 2014. Jermaine Defoe scored in his 50th international goal as the away side raced to a 3-0 half-time lead before James Milner and Leighton Baines wrapped up the proceedings in emphatic style.

In the group’s only other game, Montenegro and Poland played out a fiesty 2-2 draw in Podgorica with both sides being reduced to 10 men. A game described by new Polish coach Waldemar Fornalik as ‘similar to a war’ came to life as early as the fifth minute after home defender Stefan Savic fouled Robert Lewandowski inside the box and captain Jakub B?aszczykowski stepped up to drive home from the spot. The game turned sour as firecrackers were thrown into the compact ground and one such incident saw the Polish keeper Przemyslaw Tyton being hit and the whole Polish team seemed rattled with various objects landing near the pitch. Nicola Drincic and Mirko Vucinic then scored to give the home side a 2-1 lead going into the break. But the Poles were not to be denied a point as they found an extra gear to draw level ten minutes after the restart to earn a deserved point from a very difficult place.

Group I

The French celebrate their goal in Helsinki on Friday. France beat Finland 1-0

Didier Deschamps’ first competitive match at the helm of the French national team turned out to be a satisfactory one as not only did Les Blues earn three points from a difficult visit to Finland, but welcomed back Abou Diaby to international football from a long injury lay-off as the influential Arsenal midfielder capped off a fine display with the winning goal after 20 minutes, following a fine through ball from Karim Benzema. Although a lot of thinking needs to be done by World Cup winner Deschamps in a group that also contains World and European champions Spain, the French look efficient enough to go through to Brazil.

Elsewhere, Georgia warmed up to next Tuesday’s visit of Spain by edging out Belarus 1-0 in Tbilisi. The victory was earned by Tornike Okriashvili’s 51st minute goal in a tightly contested match.