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France fight back as Spain, Germany, England win
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-10-12 12:36 ROONEY DOUBLE
London - Spain, Germany and England all chalked up victories in their qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup on Saturday while France, finalists two years ago, had to fight back from two goals down to draw 2-2 in Romania.
Holders Italy dropped their first points in a 0-0 draw with Bulgaria in Sofia but stay top of Group Eight, while Euro 2004 winners Greece earned their third win over modest opposition, beating Moldova 3-0 to lead Group Two with maximum points. Spain and England also have 100 percent records but France, whose coach Raymond Domenech has been under pressure after a poor Euro 2008, fell behind to two early goals before drawing 2-2 with Romania in their Group Seven match in Constanta.
Florentin Petre and Dorin Goian had put Romania two up in little more than a quarter of an hour. However, Franck Ribery pulled one back for France before the interval and playmaker Yoann Gourcuff hit the equaliser in the 69th minute. Serbia ended Lithuania's surprise run at the top of the group with a 3-0 win in Belgrade, leaving both teams on six points, two more than France, Romania and Austria, who were held 1-1 by a Faroe Islands team collecting their first point. European champions Spain won 3-0 in Estonia in Group Five, Juanito and Euro 2008 top scorer David Villa, with a penalty, putting the Spanish two up in the first half and defender Carles Puyol rounding off the win midway throught he second period. Turkey are in second place two points behind the Spaniards after a come-from-behind 2-1 home win over Bosnia. Lukas Podolski and Michael Ballack scored for Germany in their 2-1 win over Russia in Group Four. Andrei Arshavin, one of the outstanding players at Euro 2008, pulled a goal back for the visitors but they could not find an equaliser in Dortmund. |
