MAINZ, Germany: Ireland defeated Georgia 2-1 yesterday in their opening World Cup qualifier, which was moved from the tiny Caucasus nation because of its recent warfare with Russia.
Ireland opened the scoring in the 13th minute when midfielder Aiden McGeady delivered a pinpoint cross into the box to striker Kevin Doyle, who headed the ball low past the outstretched right hand of goalkeeper Giorgi Loria.
Ireland doubled its lead thanks to a 70th-minute howler from Loria. Ireland midfielder Glenn Whelan’s speculative 30-meter shot should have been scooped up, but instead bounced off Loria’s right forearm into the net.
Georgia controlled possession for long stretches but repeatedly failed in front of goal, despite several precize corners and free kicks from 17-year-old midfielder Levan Kenia.
The Schalke midfielder scored a deserved goal in injury time, delivering a powerful left-footed shot that struck the stooped head of Ireland defender Paul McShane and ricocheted into the goal.
The Georgians’ best first-half opportunity came from their first corner in the 36th minute. Kenia lobbed it perfectly to striker Aleksandr Iashvili, who was unmarked just five meters from goal. But Iashvili blasted his header high over the crossbar.
In Yerevan, Armenia, Tuncay Sanli and Semih Senturk scored second-half goals to give Turkey a 2-0 win at Armenia in World Cup qualifying. Tuncay gave the visitors the lead in the 61st minute, scoring from close range. Senturk made it 2-0 in the 79th, capitalizing on a defender’s mistake in the box. On Wednesday, Turkey hosts Belgium and Armenia is at European champion Spain. Bosnia-Herzegovina and Estonia are also in Group 5.
In Tirana, Albania: Sweden was held to a 0-0 draw by Albania in qualifying .
The Swedes dominated possession and chances but couldn’t break down the Albanian defense in the Group 1 match.
Despite being tightly marked, Sweden forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic hit the post in the 17th minute and then had a shot saved by goalkeeper Arjan Beqaj in the 58th.
Sweden exerted more pressure in the second half with Olof Mellberg shooting wide from 10 meters (yards) in the 63rd.
Albania had a few chances to score. Forward Hamdi Salihi missed from close range in the 32nd after a cross from Ervin Skela, while midfielder Jahmir Hyka’s 20-meter shot caused goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson some difficulty.
In Skopje, Macedonia beat Scotland 1-0 in their opening World Cup qualifier in Group Nine yesterday to inflict defeat on visiting manager George Burley in his first competitive match in charge. Ilco Naumovski tucked away the only goal in the fifth minute from close range after goalkeeper Craig Gordon touched a fierce free kick by Macedonia captain Goce Sedloski onto the post.
In Cardiff, substitute Sam Vokes saved Wales’ blushes with a late winner to give them a 1-0 win over 10-man Azerbaijan in the opening match of their qualifying campaign.
In Bratislava, goals from defender Martin Skrtel and midfielder Marek Hamsik gave Slovakia a 2-1 home win over Northern Ireland in their Group Three qualifier. Liverpool’s Skrtel opened the scoring in the 46th minute when he headed past visiting keeper Maik Taylor after Marek Sapara’s free kick from the left.
Hamsik put the home side further ahead in the 70th minute to put Slovakia well on their way to their first win under new coach Vladimir Weiss.
Northern Ireland pulled one back when Slovak defender Jan Durica scored an own goal in the 81st minute.
In Chisinau, Moldova, Latvia scored twice in the first half to defeat Moldova 2-1 in its opening World Cup qualifier. Latvia striker Girt Karlsons found the net in the eighth minute with a shot from 10 meters. Vitalijs Asin’s six-meter header beat goalkeeper Nicolae Calancea in the 22nd to put Latvia 2-0 up. Moldova pulled a goal back in the 76th through substitute Serghei Alexeev, who replaced Valeriu Andronic in the 61st.
Two players on each team received yellow cards. Moldova and Latvia are in Group 2, which also includes Switzerland, Greece, Israel and Luxembourg.
• In Sydney, New Zealand sealed the top spot in the Oceania World Cup qualifying competition with a 3-1 win over New Caledonia in Noumea yesterday. They advance to a two-leg playoff against the fifth-placed team from the Asian preliminaries late next year for a place in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Victory also secured an automatic spot in next year’s Confederations Cup, which will also be played in South Africa, with New Zealand hoping to then make the World Cup for the first time in 28 years. New Zealand striker Shane Smeltz scored twice in 10 minutes midway through the second half to break a 1-1 deadlock after New Caledonia’s Michel Hmae had canceled out Ben Sigmund’s early strike.
Fiji earlier won their first match of the final Oceania qualifying tournament when they beat Vanuatu 2-0 at Ba with Salesh Kumar and substitute Maciu Dunadamu both scoring goals.
