LONDON, 11 September 2003 — Germany healed their wounded pride by beating Scotland 2-1 yesterday to move close to a spot in next year’s European Championship finals.
Four days after an embarrassing 0-0 draw with Iceland in their previous qualifier, the three-times world and European champions put up a combative display in awful weather to knock the Icelanders off the top of Group Five.
Striker Fredi Bobic gave the home side the lead from inside the box on 25 minutes and playmaker Michael Ballack made it 2-0 with a penalty five minutes into the second half.
Scotland pulled one back against the run of play through midfielder Neil McCann on 60 minutes but were reduced to 10 men six minutes later when substitute defender Maurice Ross was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Germany, who lead the standings on 15 points from seven matches, need only a draw from their last group game at home to Iceland on Oct. 11 to qualify directly for the finals in Portugal.
A partisan capacity crowd of 67,000 played their part, cheering their team with a deafening roar on a rainy, windy evening to make sure Germany remained undefeated in 10 games in Dortmund.
Meanwhile, Michael Owen and teenage strike partner Wayne Rooney fired England to the top Group Seven with a 2-0 victory over Liechtenstein at Old Trafford. England hit the bar twice in a goalless first half before Steven Gerrard set up Owen and the outstanding Rooney for two clinical strikes within seven minutes of the re-start.
The win gave England 19 points, one more than Turkey, who they face in a decisive final game in Istanbul on Oct. 11 - requiring only a draw to qualify for next year’s tournament.
Italy survived a late rally by Serbia and Montenegro to earn a 1-1 draw in a pulsating Group Nine qualifier. The result means that Italy have a guaranteed playoff place at worst, while Serbia and Montenegro have lost all hope of reaching the finals in Portugal.
The Italians took a 22nd-minute lead through striker Filippo Inzaghi, who capitalized on a bad defensive blunder and slotted the ball home from close range past helpless keeper Dragoslav Jevric to add to the hat trick he scored against Wales on Saturday.
The home side had Italy on the back-foot for most of the match and missed a number of good chances before Sasa Ilic grabbed an 81st-minute equalizer, when he tapped the ball in from a goal-mouth melee after a corner by substitute Branko Boskovic.
In Moscow, Dmitry Bulykin scored a hat trick to power Russia to a convincing 4-1 home win over Group 10 leaders Switzerland. Russia’s victory kept alive their chances of qualifying for next year’s tournament in Portugal. They need to beat outsiders Georgia in their final match next month, also in Moscow, to secure at least a playoff spot.
The Swiss, who play Ireland in their last qualifier, still lead the group on 12 points, with Russia and Ireland on 11.
Bulykin, playing only his second international, scored three consecutive goals in the 20th, 33rd and 59th minutes to put the hosts in control after Switzerland had taken an early lead. The Swiss, missing several key players including leading midfielder Hakin Yakin through injury, drew first blood after 12 minutes when Andrei Karyaka fired into his own goal trying to clear a dangerous cross by Stephane Chapuisat.
In Ljubljana, France booked their place in next year’s championship finals with a 2-0 away win over nearest Group One rivals Slovenia. The defending champions, who had Claude Makelele sent off, are now eight points clear of Slovenia who secured a playoff berth thanks to Israel’s 2-2 draw with Malta.
David Trezeguet curled France in front after 10 minutes with a shot just inside goalkeeper Marko Simeunovic’s far post. Makelele was shown the red card in the 66th minute for a second bookable offence, five minutes before substitute Olivier Dacourt doubled the tally.
In Brussels, two goals from Wesley Sonck kept Belgium’s slim hopes of a playoff place alive as they beat rivals Croatia 2-1. Bulgaria had earlier secured the automatic place at next year’s finals from Group Eight with a comfortable 3-0 win in Andorra that gave them 17 points and guaranteed the top spot.
Croatia and Belgium both have 13 points but the runners-up spot will go to Croatia if they win at home to Bulgaria on October 11 even if Belgium beat Estonia on the same night since the Croatians have a better head-to-head record.
Sonck scored Belgium’s first from a free kick 11 minutes before the break but a minute later Dario Simic fired home the equalizer. Sonck popped up again in the 42nd minute to put the home side back in front with what proved to be the winner.
Two first half goals powered in-form Sweden past Poland 2-0 and into the finals on top of qualifying Group Four. Sweden have an unassailable 17 points from seven matches, followed by Latvia with 13, Hungary at 11 and Poland on 10, with next month’s final qualifiers to decide the runner-up.
Latvia beat Hungary 3-1 to keep alive their dream of reaching the Portugal finals next year. Latvia, who had to win to keep pace in a tight group, looked unlikely winners until Maris Verpakovskis scored in the 38th minute after a solo break, taking out two defenders and rolling the ball past keeper Gabor Kiraly.
