Netherlands lose, Italy win, Cyprus shock Bosnia in Euro 2016 qualifiers A calamitous late error of judgement by Netherlands defender Daryl Janmaat presented Czech Republics Vaclav Pilar with the simplest of finishes for a 2-1 victory in Tuesdays Euro 2016 qualifier in Prague. The substitute could not miss when Newcastles summer signing, in trying to deal with Borek Dockals cross, headed past goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen and could only watch as Pilar anticipated the rebound off the post to convert from a couple of yards. It was a poor way to end the match for the team which had finished third at the World Cup as they had got themselves back into the game when Stefan de Vrij cancelled out Dockals stunning volleyed opener and looked like finishing the stronger. Dimitris Christofi netted a brace as Cyprus struck back to claim a 2-1 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina in the opening match of their Group B qualifying campaign. Vedad Ibisevic gave the home side an early lead before Christofi levelled for the visitors just before the break, adding his second midway through the second half. The hosts had the chance to clinch a late equaliser but Miralem Pjanic suffered a penalty miss as Safet Susics men left the Bilino Polje empty handed. Simone Zaza scored his first goal for Italy as they kicked off their qualifying campaign with a 2-0 victory over Norway. Striker Zaza -- the first ever Sassuolo player to receive an Azzurri call-up -- impressed on his debut in last weeks friendly win over Netherlands but made a much bigger impact in Oslo. His powerful finish in the 16th minute of Tuesday nights Group H encounter gave Antonio Contes side the upper hand and Leonardo Bonuccis second-half header confirmed the outcome at the Ullevaal Stadion to hand Antonio Conte a win in his first competitive match in change. Gareth Bale saved Wales from severe embarrassment in Andorra as Chris Colemans side began their campaign with a nervy 2-1 victory. Andorra, ranked 199th in the world and without a goal in competitive football for four years, stunned Wales inside five minutes when they were awarded a controversial penalty which Ildefons Lima tucked away for his nations first goal in over four years. But Real Madrid star Bale, so often as he has done before, dragged Wales out of trouble and equalised with a fine header from Ben Davies 22nd minute cross, and settled the game with a magnificent free-kick nine minutes from time. Iceland got their Euro 2016 qualifying going in style with an emphatic 3-0 win at home to 10-man Turkey. Jon Dadi Bodvarssons first-half header set the hosts on their way and their task became easier when their opponents had Omer Toprak sent off for two yellow cards in five minutes soon after the break. Two goals in three second-half minutes from Gylfi Sigurdsson and Kolbeinn Sigthorsson sealed an impressive win for Iceland against one of their expected rivals for qualification from Group A. Croatia carved out a 2-0 victory over a resolute Malta in Zagreb, who were reduced to 10 men in the first half. The visitors did well to limit Croatia to half-chances early on, but the 30th-minute dismissal of Malta defender Steve Borg swung the Group H contest in Croatias favour, and second-half goals from Luka Modric and Andrej Kramaric secured victory for Niko Kovacs side. A late header from Ventsislav Hristov meant Bulgaria began their qualifying campaign with a 2-1 victory over Azerbaijan. Iliyan Mitsanski had given the visitors to the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium a first half lead before the hosts, who struggled to create opportunities in the opening period, levelled early in the second through Dimitrij Nazarov. Bulgaria pressed for a winner and it finally came in the 86th minute through Hristovs effort. Kazakhstan ended a run of two successive defeats to Latvia after securing a draw with a 0-0 stalemate in the Astana Arena. The two fellow former Soviet republics met for the first time competitively, though neither side could find a breakthrough despite the home side having managed just one draw in three previous friendlies.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 11:13:05 +0000
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