Dutch thrash Finns to stay ahead of Czechs

RUUD VAN NISTELROOY helped to keep Holland top of qualifying Group One with the goal that set the Dutch up for a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Finland in Helsinki.

Van Nistelrooy beat keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen in the 35th minute before Dirk Kuijt (77), Philip Cocu (85) and Robin van Persie (87) wrapped up the three points that keeps the Czech Republic in second place in the group.

Holland now have 22 points from eight games, one of ahead of the Czechs who beat Macedonia 6-1 earlier in the evening. The hosts bounced back from an early fright after Goran Pandev fired Macedonia ahead in the 14th minute.

But four goals in the space of 11 minutes from Jan Koller - who broke the Czech Republic’s scoring record in their previous game against Andorra on Saturday - helped them on their way to securing three points.

Tomas Rosicky then converted the fifth from the spot in the 74th minute before Milan Baros added the sixth as the Czech’s boosted their bid to reach the World Cup finals.

Romania beat Armenia 3-0 inConstanta with coach Victor Peturca fielding a much-changed side in the other Group One match. First-half goals from Ovidiu Petre and Gheorghe Bucur secured the win before a second from Bucur late on completed the formalities.

In Group Two, European Champions Greece face a mountainous task to reach the World Cup after Ukraine staged a smash and grab win over their Group Two rivals in Athens.

Ukraine took the three points thanks to a late strike from Andriy Husin and they are now within touching distance of a place in the World Cup finals for the first time.

The win puts Ukraine seven points clear of Turkey at the top of the group with the result leaving Greece in third a further point behind their Balkan neighbours.

Turkey thrashed hosts Kazakhstan 6-0 in Almaty. Trabzonspor striker Fatih Tekke got the visitors off and running with the opener in the 13th minute before Ibrahim Toraman doubled the advantage moments later.

Tuncay Sanli made it three after 37 minutes before three late goals from Hamit Altintop, and seconds from Tekke and Sanli gave the result a convincing gloss.

Denmark kept alive their hopes of qualifying for next summer’s finals with a 3-1 win over Albania in Copenhagen in Group Two. Soren Larsen (2) and Martin Jorgensen were the Danish goalscorers.

In Group Three, Cristiano Ronaldo’s first-half goal put Portugal firmly on course for a place in Germany as they beat hosts Estonia in Tallinn.

Also in that pool, Imants Bleidelis helped Latvia to a 1-0 victory over Liechtenstein to give his side’s hopes of reaching Germany 2006 a boost.

Slovakia boosted their chances after claiming three points with an easy 4-0 win at Luxembourg.

Iceland claimed their first win of the campaign with an impressive 4-1 win against fellow Group Eight strugglers Malta in Reykjavik.

Gunnar Thorvaldsson got the scoring underway after 28 minutes with Eidur Gudjohnsen adding a second six minutes later. Malta then pulled a goal back through Brian Said, but Tryggvi Gudmundsson and Veigar Gunnarsson struck in the 75th and 86th minutes to seal the result.

Kenny Miller failed to find the net when it mattered most as Scotland returned from Belarus with the goalless draw which means their World Cup dreams are all but over.

The Scots had to win to make the most of an end-of-season double header, having beaten Moldova at the weekend. Victory would have taken them above Belarus and, more significantly, to within a point of both Norway and Slovenia.

Now it seems that one of those nations will be jousting in the play-offs for a ticket to the World Cup finals next summer; the Scots remain second from bottom in group five having won just once in six qualifiers.

Meanwhile, lowly Bosnia-Herzegovina drew 1-1 with second from top Spain in Group Seven. Zvjezdan Misimovic put the visitors in the lead on 38 minutes before Marchena grabbed a last-gasp equaliser for the Spanish in injury time.