SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013 SPORTS Ronaldo rescues Portugal as Spain and Germany win LONDON: Cristiano Ronaldo rescued tions to answer after they saw a first- points but have played one game Telecinco. Portugal with a speedy hat-trick to minute lead secured by Arjen Robben more than England, could only man- Spain have 14 points from six avoid a slip-up in Northern Ireland, evaporate in Tallinn where they stood age a 1-1 draw in Poland although it matches and play their final two qual- while Netherlands dropped their first seconds away from an embarrassing could have been even worse as ifiers at home to Belarus and Georgia points as Spain and Germany took 2-1 defeat after a Konstantin Vassiljev Jakub Blaszcykowski had a 94th next month. They are already assured easier steps towards World Cup quali- double for the hosts. minute effort disallowed for offside of at least a place in the playoffs. fication. The Dutch, who until this game for the hosts. Group A pacesetters Belgium England moved level on points at had a perfect record of six wins from Third-placed Ukraine stayed in the stretched their lead at the top with a the top of Group H with Montenegro six matches, snatched a point in the chase with a 9-0 thumping of San 2-0 win away to Scotland as second after marching to a 4-0 home win over third minute of stoppage time when Marino, who have conceded 38 goals and third-placed Balkan rivals Serbia Moldova that came as their rivals were Raio Piiroja was sent off and a penalty in seven qualifiers, and have 14 points and Croatia drew 1-1 in Belgrade. held 1-1 in Poland. was awarded which Robin van Persie ahead of Tuesday’s home match with The Belgians, whose goals came Italy and Belgium were among the converted. England. from Steven Dafour and Kevin group pacesetters to take full points, “We know we are better so it The only blot on the night for Mirallas, lead the standings by five while Group E leaders Switzerland makes it a frustrating evening,” England was a yellow card for points from Croatia with two could only draw 4-4 with Iceland and Group G table-toppers Bosnia surpris- ingly lost 1-0 at home to Slovakia. In Belfast, Portugal were in serious danger of being knocked off the top of Group F, after second-placed Russia had earlier thumped Luxembourg 4-1, as they found themselves trailing 2-1 to Northern Ireland. Their hosts had previous form for upsets having stunned Russia 1-0 last month and it looked like they were heading for another when Portugal’s Helder Postiga was shown a straight red card for a headbutt on Gareth McAuley just before halftime. Northern Ireland, already out of qualifying contention, made the man advantage count early in the second half when Jamie Ward scored after a corner but Portugal’s fortunes turned MEXICO: Hector Moreno (right) of Mexico vies for the ball with Carlos Costly when Kevin Brunt was shown a sec- (left) of Honduras, during the match for the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 ond yellow to make it 10 against 10. qualifying round. —AFP Then followed 15 minutes of trademark Ronaldo brilliance as he headed in two goals and scored another from a free kick to turn the Mexico, US suffer match around and put Portugal on 17 points from eight games with Russia on 15 having played one game fewer. WCup setbacks There were more individual plau- dits in Germany’s 3-0 win over Austria in Group C as forward Miroslav Klose MEXICO: Mexico suffered only their second ever out, Chepo out” from the home crowd, who were opened the scoring in the 34th BELFAST: Portugal’s Helder Postiga (right) vies for the ball with Northern Ireland’s Oliver qualifying defeat in the Azteca Stadium with a 2- demanding his resignation while chanting his minute to equal Gerd Mueller’s record Norwood (second right) during the 2014 World Cup European zone Group F qualifying football 1 loss to Honduras on Friday that increases the nickname. of 68 goals for the country. The clean match. —AFP pressure on coach Jose Manuel de la Torre and “To resign would be a failure, to fail is to stop sheet banished concerns over recent leaves ‘El Tri’ with plenty of work to do to qualify fighting for things, we can’t give up our project,” German defensive frailties as they Robben told Dutch NOS radio with Welbeck, who had a fantastic game, matches left. for Brazil. he told reporters. “Not to deliver adequate results stayed in control of the group on 19 his side on 19 points from seven which rules the Manchester United Group B leaders Italy moved to Costa Rica, who top the CONCACAF region is something that worries us, it’s something men- points from seven matches, five games - a six-point lead over striker out of the trip to Kiev. within one win of qualifying for next standings, took a step towards booking their tal we have to correct... We’re in debt with every- ahead of Sweden who beat Ireland 2- Romania who leapfrogged Hungary World champions Spain were 2-0 year’s finals in Brazil after a nervy 1-0 place at next year’s finals with an impressive 3-1 one, with our football, and that’s very worrying.” 1. Austria dropped to third on 11, lev- into second place after beating them winners in Finland as they tightened home victory against second-placed win over the United States, while Panama were Mexico travel to Columbus, Ohio to face the el with the Irish. 3-0 at home. their grip on top spot in Group I, with Bulgaria, while in the same group held to a goalless draw at home to Jamaica in the United States on Tuesday with both teams feel- “We did our homework, we “We have to be a little down on their cause helped by second-placed Czech Republic were stunned 2-1 at other game. ing the pressure to get back to winning ways defended well, we played with the ourselves if we lead in the first minute France’s 0-0 draw in Georgia. home by Armenia. After seven rounds of matches, Costa Rica quickly. right aggression and intensity,” and then walk off the pitch with the The holders stretched their lead Group G was pushed wide open lead the way on 14 points with the United States The US suffered a blow even before the game Germany coach Joachim Loew told score at 2-2.” over France to three points with two after leaders Bosnia’s unbeaten run on 13 and Honduras on 10, while Mexico sit in began when key midfielder Michael Bradley ZDF television. Spirits were much higher at matches remaining as goals from came to an end with a 1-0 defeat at fourth place, outside the automatic qualification limped off the field with an ankle injury picked The same could not be said of Wembley where England outclassed Jordi Alba and Alvaro Negredo either home to Slovakia. slots, on eight points in the final stage group. up during the warmup. Group E leaders Switzerland, who let Moldova after two goals from Danny side of halftime secured a comfort- They stay top on goal difference Panama are on seven and Jamaica are bot- Costa Rica grabbed the lead in the third slip a 4-1 lead to draw 4-4 with Welbeck and one each from captain able win. over Greece, who also have 16 points tom of the six-team standings on three points. minute when Jhonny Acosta headed in a corner Iceland, allowing second-placed Steven Gerrard and Rickie Lambert “We have a three-point lead now after a 1-0 win in Liechtenstein, with Mexico’s biggest worry going into Friday’s game at the near post past DaMarcus Beasley on the Norway to close the gap on them to propelled Roy Hodgson’s side to the and we’re in a great position to quali- Slovakia - on 12 - also in contention was a lack of firepower at home after their three line. four points after they beat Cyprus 2-0. top of Group H on goal difference. fy,” Spain coach Vicente del Bosque for first place and direct qualification previous qualifiers at the Azteca had all ended in Seven minutes later it was 2-0 when Cristian Netherlands also had defensive ques- Montenegro, who also have 15 told Spanish television broadcaster into next year’s finals. —Reuters goalless draws. Bolanos floated a ball towards the back post and Seeking to address the issue, De la Torre left Celso Borges rose superbly above Beasley to Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez on head home. the bench and started with Oribe Peralto in Playing in his 100th international game, Clint Trapattoni still attack with the move paying off instantly. Dempsey converted a penalty shortly before the Giovani dos Santos burst down the left flank break to give Juergen Klinsmann’s side hope of a believes in and picked out Peralto with a low cross, which second half comeback. But a goal on the break- the striker calmly slotted home to end Mexico’s away by the lively Joel Campbell with 13 minutes Ireland’s chances home goal drought after just six minutes. remaining secured victory for Costa Rica. Mexico seemed in control but the introduc- Panama will be kicking themselves for not DUBLIN: Giovanni Trapattoni refused to give up on tion of Jerry Bengtson to the Honduran attack taking advantage of Mexico’s stumble after they Ireland’s World Cup dreams despite a disappointing 2-1 changed the game.