Group Three Roundup

Czechs thrash Austria, Netherlands wins

PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) -- Borussia Dortmund star Jan Koller scored twice to lead the Czech Republic to a well deserved 4-0 win over Austria in a European Championship qualifier Wednesday.

Juventus' Pavel Nedved and Marek Jankulovski scored the other two goals in a win that keeps Group 3 tight.

The Netherlands, which gained a 2-1 away victory in Moldova, and the Czechs has 10 points each at the top of the group. Austria is third with six points, followed by Belarus with three points and soccer underdog Moldova with zero. All teams have another four matches to play.

The favored Czechs started impressively when Vladimir Smicer sent an inviting cross to Nedved in the third minute, but the Czech captain's feeble shot from close range was saved by Austria goalkeeper Thomas Mandl.

Defender Vladimir Jiranek fired from 25 meters (yards) in the ninth minute but the ball just missed Mandl's post.

The Czechs opened the scoring in the 18th minute after midfielder Karel Poborsky dribbled through the Austrian defense and sent a precise pass to Nedved, who lifted the ball over Mandl from 10 meters (yards).

Koller took advantage of a defensive error in the 32nd minute and gave the 'keeper no chance on his solo attack.

The run of play remained unchanged in the second half. The visitors were reduced to 10 men after substitute Bozo Kovacevic downed Milan Baros in the penalty area and received a red card in the 56th, just three minutes after he came off the bench.

Jankulovski converted the penalty kick to make it 3-0.

Koller headed in his second goal six minutes later off a cross from Jankulovski, who broke down the left flank and beat two Austrian defenders.

The Czechs will host Moldova in the next qualifier on June 11, while Austria will travel to Moldova to play there four days earlier.

Lineups:

Czech Republic: Petr Cech; Zdenek Grygera, Tomas Ujfalusi, Rene Bolf, Marek Jankulovski, Tomas Galasek, Pavel Nedved (Stepan Vachousek, 74th), Vladimir Smicer (Tomas Rosicky, 64th), Karel Poborsky, Milan Baros, Jan Koller (Vratislav Lokvenc, 79th).

Austria: Thomas Mandl; Paul Scharner, Martin Stranzl, Mario Hieblinger, Emmanuel Pogatetz, Markus Schopp, Rene Aufhauser, Thomas Floegel (Michael Wagner, 46th), Andreas Herzog (Bozo Kovacevic, 53rd), Markus Weissenberger, Mario Haas (Ernst Dospel, 64th).

Netherlands work hard to beat Moldova

TIRASPOL, Moldova (AP) -- Mark van Bommel scored the winning goal in the 85th minute Wednesday as the Netherlands overcame a surprisingly strong Moldova 2-1 in a European Championship qualifier.

Moldova, which was looking for its first points, started offensively with striker Serghei Clescenco missing a clear chance in the ninth minute when his shot from only 6 meters (yards) went wide.

The hosts' efforts were rewarded in the 16th minute when Vadim Boret beat Dutch goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus with an excellent shot to the top left corner from 18 meters (yards).

The Dutch regained their composure, slowly taking control of the game by using their methodical passing and individual skills, but Patrick Kluivert and Ruud van Nistelrooy had difficulty in freeing themselves from a tight Moldovan defense.

Van Nistelrooy equalized in the 37th minute, when he headed home a pass from Clarence Seedorf, which should have been easily collected by Moldovan goalkeeper Eugen Hmaruc.

Hmaruc erred again just two minutes later when he failed to stop a shot by Seedorf, but the ball went wide.

The Netherlands dominated the second half with runs on the flanks by Rafael van der Vaart and Seedorf opening up the Moldovan defense, but the Dutch strikers failed to convert a flurry of chances in front of the Moldovan goal.

Hmaruc made an excellent save in the 76th minute, tipping a powerful shot by Edgar Davids over the bar.

The Dutch increased their pressure, besieging the Moldovan goal with Kluivert coming close to scoring but losing control just 6 meters (yards) away from the net in the 80th minute.

Moldova went very close to taking the lead again in the 82nd minute when a strong shot by substitute Stanislav Ivanov beat Waterreus but went just wide of the goal.

The Netherlands finally scored the winner when van Bommel beat Hmaruc with a powerful shot from 30 meters.

It was the first international match played in Tiraspol, the capital of the self-proclaimed Trans-Dniester republic in eastern Moldova.

Trans-Dniester, which is not recognized internationally, broke away from Moldova in 1992 after a short but bloody war, which left over 1,500 dead.

Separatist authorities did not permit Moldova's president Vladimir Voronin to attend the match.

Lineups:

Moldova: Eugen Hmaruc; Alexandru Covalenco, Valeriu Catinsus, Ion Testimitanu, Ghenadie Olexici, Boris Cebotari, Stanislav Ivanov, Vadim Boret, Iurie Priganiuc (Victor Berco, 79th), Serghei Covalciuc, Serghei Clescenco (Alexandru Golban, 61st).

Netherlands: Ronald Waterreus, Frank de Boer, Michael Reiziger, Jaap Stam (Fernando Ricksen, 61st), Mark van Bommel, Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf (Ronald de Boer, 66th), Boudewijn Zenden, Rafael van der Vaart (Pierre van Hooijdonk, 76th), Ruud van Nistelrooy, Patrick Kluivert. Attendance: 10,000.

 

Related information

Stories

Group 1: France stays perfect with win over Israel Group 2: Bosnia scores shock win over Denmark Group 4: Sweden defeats Hungary 2-1 in qualifier Group 5: Lithuania stuns Scotland, tops group Group 6: Spain stretches lead with win over Armenia Group 7: England tops table with win over Turkey Group 8: Croatia routs Andorra; Bulgaria held in Estonia Group 10: Ireland held goalless in Albania

Multimedia

Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video