THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
COPENHAGEN — Liedson scored a last-minute goal Saturday to secure Portugal a 1-1 draw with Group 1 leader Denmark in a World Cup qualifier.
The Portugal striker scored the equalizer from a corner kick in the 86th minute.
Nicklas Bendtner had given the Danes the lead in the 41st minute.
Cristiano Ronaldo had several good shots for Portugal, as did Simao Sabrosa, Jose Bosingwa and Deco, who took a dangerous free kick outside the penalty box in the 34th that Denmark goalkeeper Stephan Andersen diverted with his finger tips.
Ibra scores late to beat Hungary 2-1
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BUDAPEST, Hungary — Barcelona’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored in injury time to help Sweden defeat Hungary 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday.
Hungary was already celebrating the apparent 1-1 draw — it had scored an equalizer in the 78th minute from the penalty spot — when Ibrahimovic led a Swedish counterattack in the third minute of extra-time. Goalkeeper Gabor Babos’s attempted clearance from the edge of the box bounced off the tall Barcelona frontman and rolled into the Hungarian goal.
Sweden’s opener came in the ninth when Olof Mellberg beat Hungary’s defence and easily headed in a corner kick from the right side.
After the goal, the Swedes often played with eight men on defence, a formation the Hungarians struggled to break down.
Roland Juhasz did a good job of neutralizing Barcelona’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic but an apparent rib injury forced him off the pitch shortly after the restart.
In the second half, Hungary coach Erwin Koeman tried to strengthen the attack, replacing defender Pal Dardai with striker Sandor Torghelle, but with little initial success.
But in the 78th, Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli awarded Hungary a penalty kick after Dzsudzsak was tripped up in the area. Swedish goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson guessed correctly but was unable to save Szabolcs Huszti’s low shot to the right corner.
After seven games, Hungary has 13 points and Sweden 12 in Group 1. Hungary will host Portugal on Wednesday, when Sweden faces Malta.
Spain cruise to 5-0 win over Belgium
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LA CORUNA, Spain — Spain maintained its perfect record in World Cup qualifying, routing Belgium 5-0 Saturday night as David Villa scored two goals and set up two others.
Villa had a penalty kick saved, then fed Valencia teammate David Silva for the first goal in the 41st minute. Villa made it 2-0 with a long shot in the 49th and found Gerard Pique alone in front of goal one minute later.
Silva boosted the lead to 4-0 in the 68th, and Villa tapped in a shot in the 85th.
Spain (7-0), the European champion, is atop Group Five with 21 points and holds a six-point lead over second-place Bosnia-Herzegovina, which won 2-0 at last-place Armenia (0-6-1).
Escude scores own-goal as France draws 1-1 with Romania
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAINT-DENIS, France — Defender Julien Escude scored an own-goal Saturday to give Romania a 1-1 draw with France, which dropped more crucial points in its World Cup qualifying campaign.
France looked in control after Thierry Henry scored in the 48th minute, but Escude slid in to intercept a cross from the right seven minutes later and turned the ball past startled goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
France has 14 points from seven games and trails Group 7 leader Serbia by four points. They play in Belgrade on Wednesday. Romania has eight points.
The French players were jeered off the field at the final whistle, while the Romanians went to salute their fans even though the draw does little for their chances of qualifying.
France took the lead when Yoann Gourcuff took a corner and defender William Gallas headed the ball down to Henry, who poked it into the corner for the net for his 49th international goal for France.
.Immediately after Romania’s goal, France coach Raymond Domenech replaced Andre-Pierre Gignac with winger Franck Ribery, and moved Nicolas Anelka to centre forward.
Domenech then switched Anelka back to the right wing when he brought on Karim Benzema in the 73rd, prompting a brief exchange between Domenech and Anelka where the Chelsea striker did not seem to know where he was supposed to play.
Henry then had a headed goal disallowed for offside moments later, although the decision appeared to be correct. On Henry’s goal, Gallas also seemed to push his defender in the back before nodding the ball into Henry’s path.
France started the match brightly, with a loose clearance falling to Henry, and his curled shot was tipped around the post by goalkeeper Danut Coman.
Henry almost scored again in the 17th when he headed Gourcuff’s looping free kick against the crossbar.
Domenech chose Gignac in attack with Henry and Anelka, keeping Benzema on the bench until the 73rd.
Romania coach Razvan Lucescu had to cope without the injured Adrian Mutu, so Ciprian Marica led the attack alone.
France were showing great attacking intent and Anelka broke down the right and served up a chance for Gourcuff, who volleyed it over, and the Bordeaux playmaker squandered another chance moments later when he sent his shot wide.
France looked certain to score in the 27th when Gourcuff’s pass released Anelka down the right and his cross reached Gignac, but Coman made a reflex save to keep the ball out.
Coman cut out Henry’s cross moments later just as the ball was about to fall perfectly for Anelka to head home.
Romania caught the French defence out in the 41st and should have scored, but Romeo Surdu stroked his shot wide.
Ultimately, though, it was France who was punished again for its wastefulness in front of goal, and Serbia will go a long way to qualifying with a win against the French in Belgrade.
Slovakia draws 2-2 with Czech Republic
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia _ Slovakia remained on course to qualify for next year’s World Cup despite a 2-2 qualifying draw with the Czech Republic on Saturday.
Stanislav Sestak put the Slovaks ahead in the 60th minute by tapping in a cross from Robert Vittek from close range, but Daniel Pudil equalized eight minutes later when he had just Slovakia goalkeeper Jan Mucha to beat with a low shot after collecting a pass from Jiri Stajner.
Marek Hamsik scored from the spot in the 73rd minute after Jaroslav Plasil downed Radoslav Zabavnik in the area. Hamsik was sent off a few minutes later after picking his second yellow card.
Substitute striker Milan Baros headed in his 34th international goal six minutes from time for the Czechs to stay in contention.
Slovakia leads in Group 3 with 16 points from seven games, while the Czechs have nine points and still have a chance to secure at least a playoff spot.
The winners of the nine European groups directly qualify, while the best eight runners-up will have to rely on the playoffs.
The Czechs next host San Marino on Wednesday, while Slovakia travels to Northern Ireland.
Poland, Northern Ireland draw 1-1
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WARSAW, Poland _ Midfielder Mariusz Lewandowski scored a late goal as Poland salvaged a 1-1 draw with Northern Ireland in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday.
Forward Kyle Lafferty put Northern Ireland ahead in the 38th minute when he collected a through ball from David Healy and slotted home between Poland ‘keeper Artur Boruc’s legs.
Ludovic Obraniak almost levelled for Poland before the break, but defender Jonathan Evans headed the midfielder’s left-footed shot off the line.
Northern Ireland should have gone ahead 2-0 in the 65th when Martin Paterson, who replaced Lafferty early in the second half, ran on to a through ball from Healy, only to fire his right-footed shot wide of the far post.
With Poland pushing forward in search of an equalizer, Lewandowski slid between two defenders in the goal mouth to knock home a cross from forward Pawel Brozek and level the scores 10 minutes from time.
Rakitic scores to give Croatia 1-0 victory over Belarus
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ZAGREB, Croatia — Ivan Rakitic scored from 25 metres to give Croatia a 1-0 victory over Belarus in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday.
Croatia is in second place in Group 6 with 17 points, three ahead of Ukraine, who beat Andorra 5-0 earlier Saturday and who have a game in hand.
Croatia’s next opponent is group leader England, which has won its opening seven qualifiers, and can clinch qualification for next year’s finals with a win at Wembley on Wednesday.
Rakitic scored the opener in the 24th minute, his strike leaving Belarus goalie Yuri Zhernov helpless.
Croatia had earlier missed two chances to take the lead, once when new Tottenham signing Niko Kranjcar — replacing injured teammate Luka Modric — missed a good opportunity in the 10th minute. Four minutes later, Darijo Srna put his shot over the bar.
Switzerland beats 10-man Greece 2-0
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BASEL, Switzerland — Stephane Grichting and Marco Padalino scored late headers Saturday to give Switzerland a 2-0 win over 10-man Greece and the lead of their World Cup qualifying group.
Grichting scored on Hakan Yakin’s free kick in the 83rd minute and Padalino finished off Alex Frei’s cross four minutes later after the Swiss had struggled against a resolute Greek side.
Greece had defender Loukas Vyntra sent off in the 42nd minute after being shown a second yellow card.
The Swiss were saved by goalkeeper Diego Benaglio, who tipped Nikos Spiropoulos’ shot onto the crossbar midway through the second half.
Switzerland has 16 points and leads Group 2 with three games to play. Greece is second with 13 points, ahead of Latvia on goal difference.
Kaladze own-goals hand Italy crucial win against Georgia
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
TBILISI, Georgia — Two own-goals from Georgia captain Kakha Kaladze gave world champion Italy a crucial 2-0 victory Saturday that snaps a three match run without a win.
Kaladze, who plays in Italy for AC Milan, twice headed past goalkeeper Giorgi Lomaia in the second half to change the course of the match.
Italy leads Group 8 with 17 points, while Georgia has three. Italy’s next match is against Bulgaria in Turin on Wednesday.
"If we had to rely on two own-goals to win, then so be it," Italy coach Marcello Lippi said. "But such was the way we were playing we would have scored anyway as we were creating many chances."
Neither team created much in the first half as Georgia’s defence and midfield harassed Italy strikers Vincenzo Iaquinta and Giuseppe Rossi, while playmaker Andrea Pirlo was afforded little time on the ball.
Iaquinta was played through on goal in the eighth by Rossi, but slipped and lost control of the ball as he bore down on Lomaia’s goal.
Winger Mauro Camoranesi and defender Giorgio Chiellini both went close with headers, while Georgia midfielder Amiran Sanaia forced Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon into a sharp save with a long range shot.
"We had a young team out there and if we had more time then we would have scored," Lippi said. "The own-goals were a result of our pressure. We had a different team out tonight, but I had to mix it up because we have an important match on Wednesday."
Early in the second half, Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro forced the Georgia defence to scramble the ball to safety after he reached Pirlo’s cross first and went close with a header.
In the 56th, though, Kaladze’s own-goal turned the match. Angelo Palombo shot from long range and Kaladze turned the ball into his own net while trying to head the ball away for a corner.
Two minutes later, substitute striker Fabio Quagliarella should have doubled the score, but shot low past the post following Gaetano D’Agostino’s through ball.
Kaladze’s second own-goal came in the 66th. Fullback Domenico Criscito whipped in a low cross from the left wing and under pressure from Iaquinta the 31-year-old Georgian again failed to clear the ball, instead diverting it past the wrong-footed Lomaia with a diving header.
Italy was then able to relax, though Buffon had to push the ball over for a corner after a wild back pass from Criscito.
In injury time, Quagliarella hit the post, with Iaquinta unable to turn the rebound into the empty net.
Keane scores winner for Ireland against Cyprus
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NICOSIA, Cyprus _ Robbie Keane scored a late goal Saturday to give Ireland a 2-1 win over Cyprus and bring the team closer to qualifying for the World Cup.
Keane headed the ball past Cyprus goalkeeper Sofronis Avgousti from seven metres in the 83rd minute after connecting with a pinpoint cross from Damien Duff.
Ireland took the lead in the fifth minute when Kevin Doyle seized on a loose ball after an Ireland corner kick. The Cypriots equalized in the 30th when an unmarked Marios Ilia picked up a loose ball and fired a low, hard shot from just inside the box into the left-hand corner of the Irish net.
Italy remains at the top of Group 8 with 17 points, followed by second-place Ireland with 16 and Bulgaria in third with 11. Cyprus stays in fourth with five points, one more than Montenegro.