Irish stunned as Luxembourg hit late winner
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND were expected to win three points in Group A and chalk up a few goals as LUXEMBOURG visited the Emerald Isle.
However, that wasn’t what unfolded and Gerson Rodrigues popped up with five minutes remaining to record one of the tournament’s biggest ever upsets.
Ireland couldn’t clear a long ball and the lurking Rodrigues hit a brilliant first-time effort into the bottom corner from 30 yards.
SERBIA were 2-0 down to PORTUGAL at half-time, Diogo Jata claiming both goals. But the homesters rallied in the second half and were level by the hour through Aleksander Mitrovic and Filip Kostic. Nikola Milenkovic saw red for the hosts in time added.
In Group E, Vitali Lisakovich notched a double as BELARUS saw off ESTONIA, for whom Henri Anier notched twice. Yuri Kendysh and Pavel Savitski were also on target for the home side in the second period.
After a goalless first half, Lukas Provod put the CZECH REPUBLIC in front against BELGIUM on 50 minutes. Ten minutes later, though, it was all square after Romelu Lukaku levelled.
Group G action saw hosts MONENTEGRO keep their 100% record as they comfortably beat GIBRALTAR 4-1.
Reece Styche’s penalty conversion on the halfhour levelled Fatos Beciraj’s opened for the homesters, then Marko Simic restored the lead just before the break.
Second-half goals from Zarko Tomasevic (52) and Stevan Jovetic (80) sealed the win.
TURKEY weren’t troubled by NORWAY as the visitors eased to their second victory this week. Ozan Tufan hit two goals, with Caglar Soyuncu also on target, before the Scandinavian hosts were reduced to 10 men with 10 minutes remaining as Kristian Thorstvedt received a red card.
After going down 4-2 in Turkey in midweek, a goal in each half gave HOLLAND a 2-0 success over visiting LATVIA. The Dutch went in at the breat 1-0 up thanks to Steven Berghuis, with Luuk de Jong’s 69th-minute header clinching the points.
In Group H, MALTA looked to be causing the biggest upset so far when they raced to a 2-0 lead over hosts SLOVAKIA by the 19th minute, Luke Gambin and Alexander Satariano scoring. However, two goals just after the interval from David Strelec and Milan Skriniar restored parity.
A double from Artem Dzyuba put RUSSIA two up at home to SLOVENIA.
Although Josip Ilicic quickly pulled a goal back, the hosts held out for a 2-1 victory and six points out of six.
Mario Pasalic’s goal just before the break for CROATIA was the only thing that separated them from visiting CYPRUS giving the hosts their first win.