International Round-Up: Czechs Held As Croatia Overcome Romania, Jamaica Tie Nigeria
stonejah said
18:16 02/11 2009
Wednesday February 11, 2009 (CET) 19:00 Cameroon 3-1 Guinea 19:30 Turkey 1-1 Ivory Coast 19:45 Romania 1-2 Croatia 20:00 Macedonia 1-1 Moldova 20:00 Morocco 0-0 Czech Republic 20:30 Austria 0-2 Sweden 20:30 Switzerland 1-1 Bulgaria 20:45 Belgium 1-0 Slovenia
Cameroon 3-1 Guinea
Samuel Eto'o set the Stade Robert Bobin de Bondoufle in Paris alight as he led Cameroon to a convincing win over struggling Guinea.
It was Geremi Njitap who opened the scoring with a fantastic free-kick, but Barcelona star Eto'o doubled the advantage shortly after the break after a lovely counter-attack led by Geremi and Rigobert Song.
Syli Nationale captain Pascal Feindouno pulled one back after being put through by Fode Mansare, but Eto'o was on hand with a sensational strike that beat Kemoko Camara from fully thirty yards to round off the evening. Turkey 1-1 Ivory Coast
Turkey were pegged back to a 1-1 draw against the Ivory Coast in Izmir thanks to a late, late goal from Didier Drogba.
Gokhan Unal opened the scoring for the Crescent-Stars after good work from Tuncay Sanli and Caner Erkin.
From there the hosts pressed further, Unal coming close again after an Arda Turan cross, but at the other end Emmanuel Eboue skimmed the post with an opportunistic drive.
Turkey began to lose the initiative towards the end of the game as Yaya Toure looked especially active, but it was up to Drogba to seal that last-gasp leveler with a well-placed finish following Bakari Kone's cross.
Romania 1-2 Croatia
Croatia came from behind to pick up a 2-1 victory over a disappointing Romania in Bucharest.
Arguably even more important than the result was the fact that Arsenal's Eduardo returned to competitive football tonight, playing the final half hour after coming on for Ivica Olic.
Still, the first stages belonged to the Tricolorii, who despite having fewer moments of possession took the lead through Ciprian Marica, who got on the end of Razvan Cocis' through ball - albeit via a deflection - to open the scoring with a nutmegged finish.
But five minutes before the break Croatia were right back in it after Ivan Rakitic netted from forty yards with a looping free-kick that everyone in the box - not least Romania 'keeper Bogdan Lobont - completely missed.
The comeback was complete fifteen minutes from time after Niko Kranjcar was eventually able to steer the ball home after a goalmouth scramble following Rakitic's corner.
FYR Macedonia 1-1 Moldova
Moldova held their Macedonian visitors to a draw despite an ongoing personnel crisis, the result leaving the boys in red more than a bit disappointed considering the strength of their linup.
The visitors held the bulk of the possession in the early stages, and although chances were at a premium they did seem the more likely side to score.
This they did when Darko Tasevski set up Goran Pandev for the opener eight minutes after the break.
But complacency cost The Red Lions as Valeriu Andronic of Inter-Gaz Bucharest equalised just seven minutes later with a long-range effort.
Tasevski hit the bar right at the death, but Moldova had done enough for the draw.
Morocco 0-0 Czech Republic
The partisan Morocco crowd in Casablanca witnessed their heroes hold the Czech Republic to a 0-0 draw this evening.
A sedate first half, though, offered little by way of excitement: there were only two chances of note, the first coming after a Marek Matejovsky error let Hamdavi through, and the next at the other end as Jaroslav Plasil narrowly missed the target.
But the second half brought plenty more drama, with Roman Bednar scraping the crossbar with a header soon after the restart after good work from substitute Tomas Necid.
Morocco, though, twice almost seized the win, with 19-year-old Tottenham Hotspur prodigy Adel Taarabt hitting the bar and Youssouf Hadji nearly netting at the death.
Austria 0-2 Sweden
Any concerns over Sweden's forward line were dispelled after the boys in yellow beat Austria 2-0 in Graz.
The Austrians came close through Paul Scharner just before the break, but in fact young prodigy Rasmus Elm drew first *lo** with a delicious volley from just inside the box.
Minutes later Kim Kallstrom floated a lovely free-kick in off the woodwork to make it 2-0.
Home coach Karel Bruckner attempted to turn things around by introducing Christoph Saurer and Mario Kienzl, but despite some increased midfield invention there was no conviction in the hosts' finishes.
Switzerland 1-1 Bulgaria
A dour encounter in Geneva saw the Swiss hosts held by entertaining but somehow lacking Bulgaria.
Dimitar Berbatov and Ivelin Popov were best for the Lions, who had the best of the opportunities in the early stages of the game.
Indeed, it was Popov who linked up with Stanislav Manolev to open the scoring midway through the first half.
But the Switzerland outfit did not give up, and Alex Frei soon set up Benjamin Huggel for the equaliser.
Although the Swiss were second best in the second half, too, the 9,500 home fans would at least have been pleased by Marco Padalino's impressive debut.
Belgium 1-0 Slovenia
A Daniel Van Buyten double was sufficient to put Belgium en route to victory past disappointing Slovenia in Genk.
Admittedly the visitors may have been somewhat perturbed by the fact that the Slovakian anthem, rather than the Slovenian, greeted them at kick-off.
The Bayern outcast netted first 20 minutes in after being left unmarked in a crowded box to fire past Samir Handanovic.
Kevin Mirallas could have made it 2-0 soon afterwards after a mistake by Miso Brecko, but he missed the target as Belgium continued to dominate the first half.
Steeled by hearing the correct national anthem at half-time, the heavily-altered Slovenia outfit came out stronger for the second period.
But despite enjoying plenty of possession, and the Belgian defence's looking less than solid, only Milivoje Novakovic and Dalibor Stevanovic were to enjoy chances, both of which they squandered.
Thus it was left up to 'Big Dan' Van Buyten to tap home for the second right at the end after Tom de Sutter hit the post.
19:00 Cameroon 3-1 Guinea
19:30 Turkey 1-1 Ivory Coast
19:45 Romania 1-2 Croatia
20:00 Macedonia 1-1 Moldova
20:00 Morocco 0-0 Czech Republic
20:30 Austria 0-2 Sweden
20:30 Switzerland 1-1 Bulgaria
20:45 Belgium 1-0 Slovenia
Cameroon 3-1 Guinea
Samuel Eto'o set the Stade Robert Bobin de Bondoufle in Paris alight as he led Cameroon to a convincing win over struggling Guinea.
It was Geremi Njitap who opened the scoring with a fantastic free-kick, but Barcelona star Eto'o doubled the advantage shortly after the break after a lovely counter-attack led by Geremi and Rigobert Song.
Syli Nationale captain Pascal Feindouno pulled one back after being put through by Fode Mansare, but Eto'o was on hand with a sensational strike that beat Kemoko Camara from fully thirty yards to round off the evening.
Turkey 1-1 Ivory Coast
Turkey were pegged back to a 1-1 draw against the Ivory Coast in Izmir thanks to a late, late goal from Didier Drogba.
Gokhan Unal opened the scoring for the Crescent-Stars after good work from Tuncay Sanli and Caner Erkin.
From there the hosts pressed further, Unal coming close again after an Arda Turan cross, but at the other end Emmanuel Eboue skimmed the post with an opportunistic drive.
Turkey began to lose the initiative towards the end of the game as Yaya Toure looked especially active, but it was up to Drogba to seal that last-gasp leveler with a well-placed finish following Bakari Kone's cross.
Romania 1-2 Croatia
Croatia came from behind to pick up a 2-1 victory over a disappointing Romania in Bucharest.
Arguably even more important than the result was the fact that Arsenal's Eduardo returned to competitive football tonight, playing the final half hour after coming on for Ivica Olic.
Still, the first stages belonged to the Tricolorii, who despite having fewer moments of possession took the lead through Ciprian Marica, who got on the end of Razvan Cocis' through ball - albeit via a deflection - to open the scoring with a nutmegged finish.
But five minutes before the break Croatia were right back in it after Ivan Rakitic netted from forty yards with a looping free-kick that everyone in the box - not least Romania 'keeper Bogdan Lobont - completely missed.
The comeback was complete fifteen minutes from time after Niko Kranjcar was eventually able to steer the ball home after a goalmouth scramble following Rakitic's corner.
FYR Macedonia 1-1 Moldova
Moldova held their Macedonian visitors to a draw despite an ongoing personnel crisis, the result leaving the boys in red more than a bit disappointed considering the strength of their linup.
The visitors held the bulk of the possession in the early stages, and although chances were at a premium they did seem the more likely side to score.
This they did when Darko Tasevski set up Goran Pandev for the opener eight minutes after the break.
But complacency cost The Red Lions as Valeriu Andronic of Inter-Gaz Bucharest equalised just seven minutes later with a long-range effort.
Tasevski hit the bar right at the death, but Moldova had done enough for the draw.
Morocco 0-0 Czech Republic
The partisan Morocco crowd in Casablanca witnessed their heroes hold the Czech Republic to a 0-0 draw this evening.
A sedate first half, though, offered little by way of excitement: there were only two chances of note, the first coming after a Marek Matejovsky error let Hamdavi through, and the next at the other end as Jaroslav Plasil narrowly missed the target.
But the second half brought plenty more drama, with Roman Bednar scraping the crossbar with a header soon after the restart after good work from substitute Tomas Necid.
Morocco, though, twice almost seized the win, with 19-year-old Tottenham Hotspur prodigy Adel Taarabt hitting the bar and Youssouf Hadji nearly netting at the death.
Austria 0-2 Sweden
Any concerns over Sweden's forward line were dispelled after the boys in yellow beat Austria 2-0 in Graz.
The Austrians came close through Paul Scharner just before the break, but in fact young prodigy Rasmus Elm drew first *lo** with a delicious volley from just inside the box.
Minutes later Kim Kallstrom floated a lovely free-kick in off the woodwork to make it 2-0.
Home coach Karel Bruckner attempted to turn things around by introducing Christoph Saurer and Mario Kienzl, but despite some increased midfield invention there was no conviction in the hosts' finishes.
Switzerland 1-1 Bulgaria
A dour encounter in Geneva saw the Swiss hosts held by entertaining but somehow lacking Bulgaria.
Dimitar Berbatov and Ivelin Popov were best for the Lions, who had the best of the opportunities in the early stages of the game.
Indeed, it was Popov who linked up with Stanislav Manolev to open the scoring midway through the first half.
But the Switzerland outfit did not give up, and Alex Frei soon set up Benjamin Huggel for the equaliser.
Although the Swiss were second best in the second half, too, the 9,500 home fans would at least have been pleased by Marco Padalino's impressive debut.
Belgium 1-0 Slovenia
A Daniel Van Buyten double was sufficient to put Belgium en route to victory past disappointing Slovenia in Genk.
Admittedly the visitors may have been somewhat perturbed by the fact that the Slovakian anthem, rather than the Slovenian, greeted them at kick-off.
The Bayern outcast netted first 20 minutes in after being left unmarked in a crowded box to fire past Samir Handanovic.
Kevin Mirallas could have made it 2-0 soon afterwards after a mistake by Miso Brecko, but he missed the target as Belgium continued to dominate the first half.
Steeled by hearing the correct national anthem at half-time, the heavily-altered Slovenia outfit came out stronger for the second period.
But despite enjoying plenty of possession, and the Belgian defence's looking less than solid, only Milivoje Novakovic and Dalibor Stevanovic were to enjoy chances, both of which they squandered.
Thus it was left up to 'Big Dan' Van Buyten to tap home for the second right at the end after Tom de Sutter hit the post.