Mitrovic equalizes for Serbia to frustrate weakened Wales

Aleksandar Mitrovic denied a weakened Wales from going home with three points after scoring for Serbia to secure a 1-1 draw in a 2018 World Cup qualifier on Sunday.

Newcastle forward Mitrovic collected a backheel before equalizing in the 73rd minute after Aaron Ramsey’s audacious “Panenka” penalty had put the visitors ahead.

Serbia is tied atop Group D with Ireland with 12 points from six games. Wales has eight points, the same as Austria in third.

With the absence of suspended Gareth Bale, Ramsey stepped in to put Wales ahead in the first half.

The Arsenal star coolly chipped in the ball from the penalty spot in the 35th minute against the run of play after Sam Vokes was fouled.

Jon Walters scored late in the second half to salvage a 1-1 draw for Ireland against Austria.

Martin Hinteregger struck in the 31st minute with a leftfooted low shot past goalkeeper Darren Randolph following a corner by David Alaba to put the visitors 1-0 ahead in the Group D game.

Ireland was struggling in the first half but midfielder Daryl Murphy came off the bench in the second to rejuvenate the hosts.

Ireland was pushing hard for an equalizer with a great chance 10 minutes before the end when Kevin Long’s header off a corner kick was cleared off the goal line by Stefan Lainer.

Five minutes from time, Walters controlled a long pass before unleashing a shot that Austria goalkeeper Heinz Lindner had little chance of saving.

MOLDOVA 2, GEORGIA 2

In a match between the group’s bottom two teams in Chisinau, Radu Ginsari and Alexandru Dedov scored in the first half to put Moldova on track for its first victory in qualifying.

But Georgia responded in the second half with goals from substitutes Giorgi Merebashvili and Valeri Qazaishvili.

Georgia has three points, one more than last-placed Moldova.