Germany, Croatia and Russia pick up big wins as Georgia wins Sweden – World Cup qualifiers | Football news

Germany smashed Liechtenstein in their 9-0 World Cup qualifiers on Thursday when Hansi Flick made the best start for the German coach in his sixth win of six matches.

Five players left out due to Covid-19’s regulations, so coach Flick had to make extensive changes to his lineup.

But already qualified Germans overtook Liechtenstein, whose numbers had dropped to 10 men after 11 minutes. Thomas Mueller and Leroy Sane each scored two goals to the top of the J Group with 24 points, nine ahead of second-placed Northern Macedonia.

The hosts took the lead 11 minutes in, as Ilkay Gundogan broke through on the left and put the 1 – 0 shot just beyond the reach of the outstretched keeper.

The situation got worse for the visitors, who missed three goals in three minutes, starting with Daniel Kaufmann’s own goal in the 20th minute. Leroy Sane scored 3-0 as he fed Marco Reus from a perfectly timed Goretzka pass, adding another.

When Flick’s predecessor Joachim Low, who received an official farewell before the game, watched from the stands, Germany struck again four minutes after restarting with Sane ahead of Mueller and Ridle Baku’s late goal.

Mueller scored another goal in the 86th minute before Liechtenstein’s second home goal, this time Max Goeppel, ended his miserable evening.

Romania lost ground in the World Cup qualifiers when they were at a 0-0 draw at home Iceland In his J-block match.

The point left Romania third with 14 points, one behind Northern Macedonia, who struck Armenia 5-0 away

Block H – Croatia and Russia reach the final

Croatia stayed on course to automatically reach the 2022 World Cup with a 7-1 win Malta In the Group H qualifiers, they had to beat Russia on Sunday to reach the finals.

Ivan Perisic fired a sixth-minute lead into Croatia when he steered the ball into the empty net and Duje Caleta-Car doubled his advantage as he pushed Luka Modric’s free kick.

The host Malta took one setback due to Marcelo Brozovic’s clumsy own goal before Mario Pasalic scored after a quick break. Modric then scored a 4-1 goal with a neat half-draw.

Lovro Majer scored his first international goal in the 47th minute. He intercepted the rebound as goalkeeper Henry Bonello blocked Andrej Kramaric’s head.

Kramaric scored six minutes later when he took advantage of a Maltese pass in the midfield and hit a stuck Bonello with an accurate low shot from 40 yards out. Majer grabbed each other with throbbing paint on the ceiling of the net.

Croatia are in second place in the block with 20 points out of nine matches, two behind Russia, who remained in the driver’s seat with a 6-0 drop Cyprus.

Alexander Erokhin took the lead in the fourth minute, but Cyprus often had a better chance on both sides of the half before two Russian goals in two minutes destroyed the game.

First, Smolov mounted an inspired counterattack down the right wing after 55 minutes, but Andrei Mostovoy was unable to convert from short range.

Alexei Sutormin added a fourth six minutes later. Substitute Anton Zabolotny scored 5-0 and Erokhin scored the second goal, finishing the semi-final late.

Slovakia draw with 2-2 Slovenia. Neither can enter the group.

Group B – Spain defeats Greece while Sweden defeats Georgia

Penalty from Spanish Pablo Sarabia secured a 1-0 victory for the away team Greece, when Luis Enrique’s team needs a point in a match with Sweden over the weekend to secure a place in next year’s World Cup final.

Sarabia’s winner came on in the 26th minute when Inigo Martinez tripped over the corner. A low blow from Sarabia found a net to the left of Odysseas Vlachodimos.

Spain comfortably defended its lead in the second half as Greece struggled to create clear places.

Swedish hopes of qualifying directly suffered a severe blow as they fell into a 2-0 loss to the away team. Georgia.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned to the Swedish side after a knee injury that kept him out of the European Championships in 2020, but even the presence of their record scorer did not save them from an embarrassing loss.

The Swedes scored 15 goals, including gilded spots for Alexander Isakille and Viktor Claesson, but the home team took the lead via Khvicha Kvaratskhelian in the 61st minute after the drink.

The crowd roared its approval when Kvaratskhelia somehow managed to block what seemed to be a sure goal by Kvaratskhelia’s Victor Lindelofin 77 minutes into the game.

Spain are now leading Group B with 16 points, one ahead of the Swedes they hosted in their final group match on Sunday.

Sweden will have to beat Spain in Seville to automatically get to Qatar in 2022, while a draw would be enough for the Spaniards to advance. Second place finishers will play in the playoffs.

Block A – Portugal draw with the Republic of Ireland

Republic of Ireland bets on a vibrant screen to ensure a 0-0 draw with a 10-man Portugal, whose hopes for automatic qualifying for next year’s World Cup will be based on a winning match with Serbia this Sunday, live Sky Sports.

Portugal, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, dominated early substitutions as Gavin Bazunu had to rescue Andre Silva and Seamus Coleman, who blocked a Manchester United striker-bound shot, but the hosts held on tight as the first half reached their midfield.

Ronaldo missed the best opportunity of the game in the middle of the second half and took Andre Silva’s cross wide before Portugal’s challenge was lost in sending Pepe to two second halves.

Gerson Rodrigues took third place twice Luxembourg won last place Azerbaijan 3-1 from the second win of the block.

Azerbaijan played with 10 men in the 21st minute after Tellur Mutallimov was driven out of a foul on Olivier Thill. Substitution Sebastien Thill also scored for Luxembourg. Azerbaijan finished their qualifier with one point from the draw with the Republic of Ireland.