LONDON, Oct 12 (Reuters) - European champions France maintained their perfect start to their Euro 2004 qualifying campaign when they crushed Slovenia 5-0 at the Stade de France on Saturday.
Of the other probable contenders for the European title in
Portugal in 2004, England overcame a shaky start to win 2-1 in
Slovakia, Turkey did the same to win 2-1 in Macedonia and Italy,
runners-up to France in Euro 2000 two years ago, were held to a
1-1 draw by Yugoslavia in Naples.
Spain, always so good in qualifying and usually equally
disappointing in the main event, beat Northern Ireland 3-0 in
Albacete.
Germany, who drew 1-1 with Bosnia in a friendly on Friday,
get back to competitive action against Faroe Islands at home on
Wednesday when another full round of qualifiers take place.
Despite downpours of rain across much of the continent which
made many pitches wet and muddy, there were no big upsets on
Saturday but Latvia did well to win 1-0 in Poland and move to
the top of Group Four.
Scotland also scored a highly important away win, beating
Iceland 2-0 in Reykjavik to end a run of six matches without a
win and give their German coach Berti Vogts his first victory in
charge of the team.
Scotland also moved to the top of their Group Five but have
played two matches to Germany's one.
A group-by-group round-up of Saturday's action:
Group One
France top the group after scoring their second successive
win, a 5-0 victory over Slovenia in Paris with Steve Marlet
scoring twice and Patrick Vieira, Sylvain Wiltord and Sidney
Govou delighting a near-78,000 crowd. Slovenia's gloom was
completed when Sasa Gajser was sent off in the last minute.
Israel moved into second place with a well deserved 2-0 away
win over Malta with goals from Pini Balali (66) and Haim Revivo.
Joe Brincat made his 100th appearance for Malta.
Group Two
Denmark moved to the top of the group on goal difference
from Norway after their 2-0 home win over Luxembourg but they
did not have things all their own way against one of the
whipping boys of European soccer.
Denmark went ahead only after a questionable penalty award
which Jon Dahl Tomasson converted in the 51st minute, while Ebbe
Sand made sure with a 71st-minute header.
Norway chalked up an important win in Romania thanks to an
84th-minute header from Steffen Iversen who has yet to score any
goals for his Tottenham Hotspur club side this season.
Group Three
Austria maintained their 100 per cent start with a 2-0 win
in Belarus with goals from Markus Schopp (57) and Muhammet
Akagunduz (89). Belarus had Alexander Lukhvich sent off late in
the game.
The Czech Republic began their campaign with a 2-0 win in
Moldova where the home side finished with 10 men after Adrian
Sosnovschi was sent off in the 69th minute.
Group Four
Latvia emerged as surprise early leaders following their 1-0
win over Poland in Warsaw thanks to Juris Laizans's 30th-minute
winner.
That upset, combined with Sweden's 1-1 home draw with
Hungary in Stockholm means that Latvia lead Poland by a point,
followed by Sweden and Hungary.
Hungary led after five minutes in Stockholm through
Krisztian Kenesei and it took the Swedes until the 76th minute
to pull level when Zlatan Ibrahimovic equalised, was concussed
in the process and carried off.
Group Five
Scotland beat Iceland 2-0 in Reykjavik with goals from
Christian Dailly (7) and Gary Naysmith (62) highlighting their
best performance for some considerable time.
The win took Scotland top on four points, one ahead of
Germany, although they have played two matches and the Germans
just once. Lithuania moved off the bottom with their expected
2-0 win over Faroe Islands.
Group Six
Spain proved too good for Northern Ireland winning 3-0 with
two goals from Ruben Baraja and one from Guti. Following their
2-0 win over Greece a month ago, Spain now have six points from
two matches and lead the group from Ukraine.
They remained unbeaten in second place thanks to goals from
Andriy Vorobei (51) and Andriy Voronin (90) which gave them a
2-0 win over Greece in Kiev.
Group Seven
Turkey trailed Macedonia after only two minutes when Vlatko
Grozdanoski scored for the home side but the World Cup
semi-finalists ground out a victory largely against the run of
play with goals from Okan Buruk (29) and Nihat Kahveci (54).
There was a similar pattern to the Slovakia v England match
in Bratislava where Slovakia took the lead through Szilard
Nemeth but England came back to win with a David Beckham free
kick and a late header from Michael Owen.
Turkey top the group with six points from two matches while
England have three from one.
Group Eight
Unimpressive Belgium got their first points of their
campaign with a 1-0 win over the part-timers of Andorra who
defended resolutely through most of the match but could not stop
Wesley Sonck scoring midway through the second half.
Bulgaria made it two wins out of two following their 2-0
victory in Belgium last month with another 2-0 win over Croatia
in Sofia. They top the group with six points, three clear of the
Belgians.
Group Nine
Italy were held to a 1-1 draw in Naples by Yugoslavia who
took the lead after 27 minutes when Predrag Mijatovic scored.
Alessandro del Piero equalised for Italy who now face a tricky
tie in Cardiff against Wales on Wednesday.
Finland, shocked 2-0 at home by Wales last month, bounced
back for a 3-0 win over Azerbaijan in Helsinki with Mika Nurmela
(13), Hannu Tihinen (59) and Sami Hyypia (71) scoring.
Group 10
Albania underlined their recent all-round improvement by
opening their campaign with a 1-1 draw with Switzerland in
Tirana with Edvin Murati scoring their all-important equaliser
11 minutes from time.
Switzerland had gone ahead through Murat Yakin after 37
minutes but Albania are no pushovers these days and the Swiss
could not make their advantage tell.
The other match between Georgia and Russia was abandoned at
halftime after a floodlight failure in Tbilisi with the score
goalless.
That left Switzerland at the top, a point clear of the
Russians who will replay their match in Georgia on a date to be
fixed.
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