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Rediff.com  » Sports » PHOTOS: France, Belgium and Dutch post big wins

PHOTOS: France, Belgium and Dutch post big wins

October 08, 2016 11:24 IST
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Images from the World Cup qualifier matches on Friday:

France ease 1993 memories by crushing Bulgaria

IMAGE: France's Kevin Gameiro, left, celebrates scoring a goal with his team mates. Photograph: Benoit Tessier/Reuters

France produced a scintillating show as they put memories of one of the most painful moments in their soccer history to one side by crushing Bulgaria 4-1 in a World Cup Group A qualifier on Friday.

Les Bleus had not hosted Bulgaria since an infamous qualifier in November 1993 when they conceded a late goal to lose 2-1, a defeat that meant they missed out on a place at the following year's World Cup in the United States.

The home side trailed again at the Stade de France on Friday after conceding an early penalty but bounced back by taking control of the midfield and breaching a porous defence almost at will.

Goals from Kevin Gameiro, Dimitri Payet and Antoine Griezmann put them 3-1 up at the break.

Gameiro, stylishly celebrating his first international for five years, then completed the scoring with his second goal of the night in the 59th minute.

France, with four points from two games, are joint top of the group alongside Netherlands and Sweden. Bulgaria occupy fourth position on three points.

The visitors went ahead against the run of play in the sixth minute, Mihail Aleksandrov converting from the spot after Georgi Milanov was fouled by Bacary Sagna.

Right back Sagna made amends with a perfect cross for Gameiro who levelled with a bullet of a diving header after 23 minutes.

Payet made it 2-1 three minutes later with a cross-shot from out on the left that eluded everyone in the box.

Griezmann then exploited a defensive blunder to race into the area unchallenged and add the third goal.

France's fourth goal was arguably their best, Layvin Kurzawa showing off his skills down the left before Griezmann set up Atletico Madrid team mate Gameiro to fire home from close range.

Swiss win five-goal thriller in Hungary in last minute

IMAGE: Hungary's Adam Szalai, centre, scores a goal against Switzerland. Photograph: Laszlo Balogh/Reuters

Substitute Valentin Stocker scored in the last minute to give Switzerland a 3-2 win away to Hungary on Friday after Adam Szalai had twice equalised for the hosts in a thrilling World Cup qualifier.

The Swiss went top of Group B with six points from two matches following a game in which all five goals were scored after halftime, while Hungary were left with one point and already look unlikely to make a first World Cup appearance since 1986.

The Faroe Islands are second with four points after their shock 2-0 win in Latvia, while Portugal and Latvia have three and Andorra none.

Switzerland struggled to get going in the first half without the suspended Granit Xhaka, who usually dictates the rhythm in midfield.

But striker Haris Seferovic, widely criticised for his performances at Euro 2016 when he failed to score a goal, put them in front six minutes after halftime, scoring from a rebound after Xherdan Shaqiri's shot was saved by Peter Gulacsi.

Szalai equalised two minutes later, also from a rebound after his own shot hit the post.

Left back Ricardo Rodriguez put Switzerland back in front in the 67th minute, volleying home from Valon Behrami's lofted cross for his first international goal, only for Szalai to again equalise four minutes later.

Switzerland were not to be denied, however, and snatched the points when a long thrown-in was twice headed on and Stocker scored at the far post.

"Hungary applied lots of pressure on us during the game which was intense and entertaining. Hungary came back at us twice, but we showed character at end," Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic told reporters.

His Hungarian counterpart Bernd Storck added: "It was a dynamic and good game, both teams gave all they had. We are very disappointed because came back twice against a top team, but we made too many mistakes and they made us pay for them."

Belgium brush aside Bosnia 4-0

IMAGE: Belgium's Romelu Lukaku, 2nd right, celebrates with team mates after scoring against Bosnia. Photograph: Francois Lenoir/Reuters

Belgium swept past a defensively frail Bosnia side to secure a 4-0 victory in their World Cup qualifier on Friday and give themselves a perfect start from their first two matches.

Emir Spahic put through his own net before Eden Hazard ran through to make it 2-0 before halftime. Toby Alderweireld added the third on the hour with a clever finish from a corner before Romelu Lukaku wrapped up the win with a fine solo goal.

Belgium lead Group H with six points above Greece, who won 2-0 at home to Cyprus, on goal difference.

The opener came from a seemingly innocuous cross from Thomas Meunier which fell to Bosnia defender Spahic, who under no pressure managed to beat his own keeper Asmir Begovic, a slight deflection perhaps forcing his embarrassing miscue.

Two minutes later, following Bosnia's failure to clear, Dries Mertens split open the defence to find an advancing Hazard, who rounded Begovic to slot in from a tight angle.

Defender Alderweireld scored with a neat flick at the front post from a corner before striker Lukaku, who had missed an open goal, made amends with a fine solo effort 10 minutes from time.

Belgium showed little sign that they were missing injured captain Vincent Kompany or midfielder Kevin De Bruyne.

They also lost left back Jordan Lukaku with an injury early in the first half but the defence managed to shackle Edin Dzeko, who had scored in Bosnia's last four matches against Belgium.

Belgium's victory brings the record between the sides to three wins each, and two in a row for the hosts, who beat Bosnia 3-1 in September 2015 on their way to Euro 2016.

Belgium next travel to play Gibraltar in Portugal on Monday, when Bosnia host Cyprus.

Promes double points Dutch back to winning ways

IMAGE: Quincy Promes, centre, of the Netherlands shoots to score a goal against Belarus. Photograph: Toussaint Kluiters/Reuters

Quincy Promes scored two early goals to set the Netherlands on their way to a 4-1 victory over Belarus in their World Cup Group A qualifier on Friday and snap a miserable run of home form.

Davy Klaassen and Vincent Janssen added two more in the second half as the Dutch, who finished third at the last World Cup in Brazil but failed to qualify for Euro 2016, ended an unprecedented run of five successive home defeats stretching back 16 months.

Aleksey Rios scored for Belarus just after halftime but a comeback did not materialise.

Promes' opener in the 14th minute marked his first international goal as he hit the ball through the legs of three defenders. He added a second 15 minutes later with a strong finish from the edge of the penalty area.

Belarus threatened with two good chances before the break and then scored straight after it with Sergei Kornilenko's strong run setting up Rios for a close-range finish.

But the Dutch quickly restored their two-goal advantage in the 54th minute as Klaassen tapped home the rebound after Belarus had lost possession on the edge of their own area.

Janssen struck the woodwork with a shot but found the net with a thunderous left-foot shot as the Dutch moved to four points from their opening two qualifiers after a draw in Sweden last month. They host France in Amsterdam on Monday.

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