Hat-tricks by Theo Walcott and Miroslav Klose saw England to a crushing 4-1 win over Croatia and Germany a facesaving 3-3 draw with Finland respectively in Wednesday’s second batch of European qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup.
Walcott at last showed the talent that had provoked Sven-Goran Eriksson to take him to the 2006 finals but failed to get a game.
For Klose it was a perfect response to those who believed he may be past his prime as three times he leveled for the 2006 semi-finalists against a Finnish side hardly brimming with world class talent.
There was relief too for France coach Raymond Domenech, who may well have faced the axe had his side lost at home to Serbia, but second-half goals by Thierry Henry and Nicolas Anelka were enough to see them to a 2-1 win.
Italy also won as a brace from Daniele De Rossi saw them to a 2-0 win over Georgia and give them six points from their first two matches.
The Republic of Ireland, coached by former Italy handler Giovanni Trapattoni, eked out a 0-0 draw away to Montenegro to trail the Italians by two points.
European champions Spain breezed past Armenia 4-0 while 2006 World Cup semi-finalists Portugal lost 3-2 at home to Denmark, conceding two goals in injury-time.
That was not quite such an embarrassment as Switzerland losing 2-1 at home to Luxembourg, a result that must rate as probably the worst in the distinguished career of Swiss boss Ottmar Hitzfeld.
Walcott was modesty itself after firing his hat-trick against a Croatian side — reduced to 10-men early in the second-half when Robert Kovac was red carded — that suffered its first ever competitive home defeat in Zagreb.
“There were 11 stars, the whole team were stars out there,” the teenager said.
England coach Fabio Capello praised Walcott’s performance but also cautioned against expecting a similar level of performance the whole time.
“I said after Andorra that he can play fantastic but he will play not the same level all the games. He is very interesting, very young but we have to help him,” the Italian said.
German coach Joachim Loew admitted conceding three goals was not wholly satisfactory but he was delighted in Klose, as the 30-year-old took his international tally to 44 goals in 84 games —leaving him just four away from becoming Germany’s third-highest goalscorer.
“We know what Miro Klose can do, sometimes in life having a bit of trust pays off,” Loew said. “We showed a lot of character to come from behind three times.”
However, Germany will have to sharpen up considerably with Euro 2008 semi-finalists Russia in their group, who opened their campaign with a 2-1 win over Wales.
Despite France’s win, Domenech looked far from relaxed at the post-match news conference.
“I don’t speak your language,” he told a Serbian journalist who asked him, in French, why Henry and Anelka had ignored the coach while celebrating their goals.
Italy’s De Rossi has been more renowned for his combative qualities rather than his goalscoring prowess but he may have changed the common perception of him on Wednesday with his brace.
It left Italy coach Marcello Lippi more than satisfied.
“It’s good enough. We’ve got six points, the players did well,” Lippi said.
Spain ripped into Armenia early on, Joan Capdevila and David Villa putting the home side two up within 16 minutes but the hosts had to wait until 12 minutes from time before Villa and then Marcos Senna ended any hopes of an Armenian comeback.
European World Cup qualifying group results on Wednesday:
Group 1
Sweden 2, Hungary 1
Albania 3, Malta 0
Portugal 2, Denmark 3
Group 2
Moldova 1, Israel 2
Latvia 0, Greece 2
Switzerland 1, Luxembourg 2
Group 3
San Marino 0, Poland 2
N Ireland 0, Czech Republic 0
Slovenia 2, Slovakia 1
Group 4
Russia 2, Wales 1
Azerbaijan 0, Liechtenstein 0
Finland 3, Germany 3
Group 5
Turkey 1, Belgium 1
Bosnia-Herz. 7, Estonia 0
Spain 4, Armenia 0
Group 6
Andorra 1, Belarus 3
Croatia 1, England 4
Kazakhstan 1, Ukraine 3
Group 7
Faroe Islands 0, Romania 1
France 2, Serbia 1
Lithuania 2, Austria 0
Group 8
Montenegro 0, Ireland 0
Italy 2, Georgia 0
Group 9
Iceland 1, Scotland 2
Macedonia 1, Netherlands 2
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