Portugal stumble against Finns

Finland failed to take advantage of a numerical advantage as 10-men Portugal earned a 1-1 draw in their opening Group A Euro 2008 qualifier.

Finland had taken the lead with 21 minutes on the clock as Joonas Kolkka picked out Jonatan Johansson with a free-kick and the striker fired past Ricardo.

The visitors pulled level before the break as Deco picked out Nuno Gomes and the Portugal striker rifled past Jussi Jaaskelainen three minutes before half-time.

Portugal were reduced to 10-men with 53 minutes gone as Ricardo Costa picked up a second yellow card following a foul on Johansson. His first yellow card had come in the 35th minute for a foul on the same player.

Daniel van Buyten’s solitary strike ensured Belgium returned to winning ways with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Armenia.

Rene Vandereycken‘s team could only draw 0-0 with Kazakhstan on August 16 in their opening game, but managed to claim three points in Yerevan.

The Belgians reaped the reward for a spell of pressure four minutes before half-time when Van Buyten‘s header from Jelle van Damme‘s cross found the top corner.

Azerbaijan picked up their first point of the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign after being held to a frustrating draw by Kazakhstan.

The home side were on top for most of the game and were denied on numerous occasions by Kazakhstan goalkeeper David Loria.

Andre Ladaga handed the home side the lead with 16 minutes on the watch as the midfielder curled home a free-kick after Maksim Zhalmagambetov had upended Vagif Javadov.

Dmitry Byakov pulled Kazakhstan level after 36 minutes, heading Nikita Khokhlov’s right wing cross past Azerbaijan custodian Farhad Veliyev and into the bottom corner from inside the area.

Serbia’s second-half resurgence left Poland frustrated and the spoils shared in Warsaw as the sides played out a 1-1 draw.

Radoslaw Matusiak broke the deadlock on the half-hour with a neat curling finish into the top right-hand corner from just inside the area after being picked out by Arkadiusz Radomski.

Serbia’s second half pressure finally paid off in the 71st minute thanks to a fine example of goal-poaching.

Marko Pantelic was denied by Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Kowalewski from close range, only for the well-placed Danko Lazovic to stab home the rebound.