Sports Supplement, 10th issue

Road to Russia
7
Saturday, April 1, 2017
DT
Argentina shaken as Netherlands shocked
results
Group A
Sweden 4-0 Belarus
Forsberg 19-P, 49, Berg 57, Thelin 77
Luxembourg 1-3 France
Joachim 34-P Giroud 28, 77,
Griezmann 37-P
Bulgaria 2-0 Netherlands
Delev 5, 20
Group B
Andorra 0-0 Faroe Islands
Switzerland 1-0 Latvia
Drmic 66
Portugal 3-0 Hungary
Silva 32, Ronaldo 36, 65
Group C
Azerbaijan 1-4 Germany
Nazarov 31 Schurrle 19, 81,
Muller 36, Gomez 45
San Marino 0-6 Czech Republic
Barak 17, 24, Darida 19, 77-P,
Gebre Selassie 25, Krmencik 43
Northern Ireland 2-0
Norway
Ward 2, Washington 32
Group E
Armenia 2-0 Kazakhstan
Mkhitaryan 73, Ozbiliz 75
Montenegro 1-2 Poland
Mugosa 63 Lewandowski 40,
Piszczek 82
Romania 0-0 Denmark
Group F
England 2-0 Lithuania
Defoe 22, Vardy 66
Malta 1-3 Slovakia
Farrugia 14 Weiss 2, Gregus 41, Nemec 84
Scotland 1-0 Slovenia
Martin 88
Group H
Bosnia 5-0 Gibraltar
Ibisevic 4, 43, Vrsajevic 52,
Visca 56 Bicakcic 90+4
Cyprus 0-0 Estonia
Belgium 1-1 Greece
Lukaku 89 Mitroglou 46
EUROPE
England and defending champions
Germany remained on course
for the 2018 World Cup on Sunday
while Danny Blind was sacked
as Dutch coach after his misfiring
team faced missing a second
straight major finals.
At Wembley, Jermain Defoe
marked his international comeback
with a goal as England toiled to a
2-0 victory over Lithuania.
Slovakia went second in England's
group with a 3-1 win at Malta
while Scotland are six points off
the pace after substitute Chris Martin
scored an 88th-minute winner
against Slovenia in Glasgow.
Germany maintained their 100
percent record with a 4-1 win over
Azerbaijan in Baku as they moved
to 15 points in Group C.
Northern Ireland stayed second
in Group C, five points behind Germany,
after a Jamie Ward goal in
just the second minute and a Conor
Points table
Group A P W D L GD Pts
France 5 4 1 0 7 13
Sweden 5 3 1 1 7 10
Bulgaria 5 3 0 2 -2 9
Netherlands 5 2 1 2 2 7
Belarus 5 0 2 3 -8 2
Luxembourg 5 0 1 4 -6 1
Group B P W D L GD Pts
Switzerland 5 5 0 0 7 15
Portugal 5 4 0 1 16 12
Hungary 5 2 1 2 2 7
Faroes 5 1 2 2 -6 5
Latvia 5 1 0 4 -7 3
Andorra 5 0 1 4 -12 1
Group C P W D L GD Pts
Germany 5 5 0 0 19 15
N Ireland 5 3 1 1 8 10
C Republic 5 2 2 1 4 8
Azerbaijan 5 2 1 2 -5 7
Norway 5 1 0 4 -4 3
San Marino 5 0 0 5 -22 0
Group E P W D L GD Pts
Poland 5 4 1 0 6 13
Monténégro 5 2 1 2 4 7
Denmark 5 2 1 2 2 7
Romania 5 1 3 1 2 6
Armenia 5 2 0 3 -4 6
Kazakhstan 5 0 2 3 -10 2
Group F P W D L GD Pts
England 5 4 1 0 8 13
Slovakia 5 3 0 2 7 9
Slovenia 5 2 2 1 1 8
Scotland 5 2 1 2 -1 7
Lithuania 5 1 2 2 -4 5
Malta 5 0 0 5 -11 0
Group H P W D L GD Pts
Belgium 5 4 1 0 20 13
Greece 5 3 2 0 7 11
Bosnia 5 3 1 1 8 10
Cyprus 5 1 1 3 -5 4
Estonia 5 1 1 3 -10 4
Gibraltar 5 0 0 5 -20 0
Washington strike on the half hour
gave their team a 2-0 win over Norway
in Belfast.
The Czech Republic are two
points further back after trouncing
San Marino 6-0.
Meanwhile, Blind was sacked as
Netherlands coach after a 2-0 defeat
to Bulgaria 24 hours earlier left
the team's chances of reaching the
finals hanging by the slenderest of
threads.
Poland extended their lead in
Group E to six points after Robert
Lewandowski and Lukasz Piszczek
scored in a 2-1 win at Montenegro.
In the same pool, Manchester
United's Henrikh Mkhitaryan was
on target in Armenia's 2-0 win over
Kazakhstan to keep up their hopes
of taking the runners-up place.
SOUTH AMERICA
Five-time champions Brazil had
been left waiting in suspense after
goals from Neymar, Philippe
points table
Teams M W D L GD Pts
Brazil 14 10 3 1 25 33
Colombia 14 7 3 4 3 24
Uruguay 14 7 2 5 9 23
Chile 14 7 2 5 5 23
Argentina 14 6 4 4 1 22
Ecuador 14 6 2 6 3 20
Peru 14 5 3 6 -1 18
Paraguay 14 5 3 6 -8 18
Bolivia 14 3 1 10 -20 10
Venezuela 14 1 3 10 -17 6
results
Brazil 3-0 Paraguay
Coutinho 34, Neymar 64, Marcelo 85
Bolivia
2-0 Argentina
Arce 31, Martins 53
Ecuador 0-2 Colombia
Rodriguez 20, Cuadrado 34
Chile 3-1 Venezuela
Sanchez 4, Paredes 7, 22 Rondon 62
Peru 2-1 Uruguay
Guerrero 35, Flores 62 Sanchez 30
Coutinho and Marcelo handed
them a 3-0 win over the Paraguayans
at Sao Paulo's Arena Corinthians.
But Uruguay's upset 2-1 defeat
to Peru in the day's final South
American qualifier combined with
other results meant Brazil are
mathematically guaranteed a place
at next year's finals in Russia.
While Brazil celebrated, Argentina
and Messi were left digesting
another stumble in their progress
towards Russia as they slumped to
a 2-0 defeat in La Paz.
Chile moved up to fourth place
with a 3-1 win over Venezuela
in Santiago, Arsenal star Alexis
Sanchez opening the scoring with
a stunning early free-kick. Esteban
Paredes scored twice for Chile to
give the host a 3-0 lead before Salomon
Rondon pulled a goal back for
Venezuela.
In Quito, Real Madrid star James
Rodriguez scored one goal and set
up another for Juan Cuadrado as
Colombia beat Ecuador 2-0.
points table
Group A
Teams M W D L GD Pts
Iran 7 5 2 0 6 17
Korea 7 4 1 2 2 13
Uzbekistan 7 4 0 3 2 12
Syria 7 2 2 3 -1 8
China PR 7 1 2 4 -4 5
Qatar 7 1 1 5 -5 4
Group B
Teams M W D L GD Pts
Japan 7 5 1 1 9 16
Saudi Arabia 7 5 1 1 8 16
Australia 7 3 4 0 5 13
UAE 7 3 0 4 -3 9
Iraq 7 1 1 5 -3 4
Thailand 7 0 1 6 -16 1
results
Group A
South Korea 1-0 Syria
Jeong-Ho 4
Iran 1-0 China
Taremi 46
Uzbekistan 1-0 Qatar
Akhmedov 65
Group B
Australia 2-0 UAE
Irvine 6, Leckie 78
Japan 4-0 Thailand
Kagawa 8, Okazaki 19,
Kubo 57, Yoshida 83
Saudi Arabia 1-0 Iraq
Yehya al-Shehri 53
ASIA
Iran's Mehdi Taremi dealt China's
World Cup hopes a major blow on
Tuesday, as Australia grabbed a
crucial win over UAE to stay in the
hunt for an automatic spot at Russia
2018.
Australia, however, can take
nothing for granted as they lie in
third spot with 13 points after Japan
and Saudi Arabia also won
to jointly go three points clear in
Group B with 16.
Japan ended Thailand's campaign
with a 4-0 victory in Saitama,
and South Korea squeezed past
Syria 1-0 to get back on track after
last week's upset to China.
Saudi Arabia grabbed three
points in Jeddah with Yahya al-
Shehri scoring the winner in the
53rd minute for a 1-0 victory over
Iraq, who languish in fifth place
with just four points.
points table
Teams P W D L GD Pts
Mexico 4 3 1 0 4 10
Costa Rica 4 2 1 1 4 7
Panama 4 1 2 1 0 5
US 4 1 1 2 1 4
Honduras 4 1 1 2 -5 4
T & T 4 1 0 3 -4 3
results
Honduras 1-1 Costa Rica
Lozano 35 Waston 68
T&T 0-1 Mexico
Reyes 58
Panama 1-1 United States
Gomez 43 Dempsey 39
NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA
The United States remain in contention
for a spot at next year's
World Cup after Bruce Arena's side
battled to a scrappy 1-1 away draw
against Panama in CONCACAF
qualifying on Tuesday.
Mexico extended their lead to
three points atop the group with a
1-0 away win over Trinidad and Tobago,
a second-half goal by Diego
Reyes in Port of Spain lifting El Tri
to 10 points from four games.
Costa Rica are second on seven
points after a 1-1 away draw at Honduras,
followed by Panama on five
points, the U.S. and the Hondurans
on four, while Trinidad have three
points. •