Armenia make light work of Andorra

Armenia kept up the pressure on the top three in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying Group B following a comfortable away win against back markers Andorra.

Jesús Álvarez's side have yet to pick up a point in the section, but failed to make chances count against Vardan Minasyan's Armenia, who will look to keep the momentum going as they take on Slovakia in Zilina on Tuesday. Marcos Pizzelli put Armenia ahead ten minutes before the break, with a Gevorg Ghazaryan strike and a late Henrik Mkhitaryan penalty underlining the visitors' dominance.

Andorra held their own until the 35th minute, when Brazilian-born Pizzelli blasted past José Antonio Gómes in the home side's goal. Fernando Silva might have replied, but could not get a head to an inviting Marc Pujol cross.

It took another half an hour after the interval for Armenia to break through again, with Artur Sarkisov putting in a great cross for Ghazaryan to dispatch in style. Andorra had an opportunity to reduce the arrears once more, but Cristian Martínez fired just wide from a lively counterattack.

A minute into added time, Andorra captain Ildefons Lima felled Karlen Mkrtchyan in the Armenia box to receive a straight red card, with Mkhitaryan stepping up to make it 3-0 from the spot.