Kerr’s Faroes lose out to Serbia

SERBIA tightened their grip on World Cup qualifying Group Seven with a routine 2-0 win over Brian Kerr’s Faroe Islands last night.

Milan Jovanovic and Neven Subotic scored in each half to give Serbia an eight-point advantage over second-placed France, who have two games in hand.

Jovanovic broke the deadlock two minutes before the break when, after his initial shot from the centre of the area was saved, the ball broke back to the Standard Liege striker and he slotted home the follow-up.

The visitors, without the injured Nemanja Vidic and suspended duo Dejan Stankovic and Bosko Jankovic, had a let-off 10 minutes after the break when Suni Olsen’s shot was only just off-target.

They made sure of the points in the 61st minute, though, as Borussia Dortmund defender Subotic headed home Nenad Milijas’ cross.

Meanwhile, Ireland’s group rivals Italy came from behind three times to eventually beat New Zealand 4-3 in a friendly in Pretoria last night.

Shane Smeltz put New Zealand ahead in the 13th minute before Alberto Gilardino scored the first of his two goals in the 33rd.

Chris Killen restored New Zealand’s lead three minutes before the break before Gilardino replied again early in the second half.

Killen then converted a penalty to put New Zealand ahead for the third time before a brace from Vincenzo Iaquinta turned the game on its head and earned Marcello Lippi’s side a second win in five days after Saturday’s 3-0 triumph over Northern Ireland.

Elsewhere, Holland – who booked their place in next summer’s finals at the weekend with victory in Iceland – recorded their seventh win out of seven with a 2-0 victory over Norway.

Former Blackburn defender Andre Ooijer gave the Dutch a 33rd-minute lead, before Real Madrid’s former Chelsea winger Arjen Robben doubled their advantage in the 51st minute.

Earlier, FYR Macedonia moved level with second-placed Scotland in Group Nine after beating Iceland 2-0 in Skopje. An early strike from Aco Stojkov and a late one from Filip Ivanovski secured the three points for the hosts, enabling them to leapfrog their opponents in the race for the runner-up spot behind Holland.

A double by Serhiy Nazarenko saw Ukraine come from a goal down to claim victory over Kazakhstan as they moved level on points with second-placed Croatia in Group Six.

The visitors, who entered the game with just one win in their campaign, took the lead after 19 minutes through Tanat Nuserbayev before Nazarenko levelled after 33 minutes with the winner arriving two minutes after half-time.

Sweden gave their qualifying hopes a lift with a 4-0 victory over Malta in Group One. Kim Kallstrom opened the scoring in the first half before a six-minute spell after the interval produced goals for Daniel Majstorovic, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcus Berg.

The win moves Sweden level on points with Portugal, although the pair are seven points behind Denmark.

Alexsandr Kerzhakov fired Guus Hiddink’s Russia to a comprehensive 3-0 victory in Group Four.

The Dynamo Moscow striker grabbed goals either side of half-time against a tepid Finland outfit before Konstantin Zyryanov added a third 20 minutes from time.