Highlights: Lukaku inspires Belgium, Croatia and England draw
Friday, October 12, 2018
Article summary
Romelu Lukaku struck twice to give Belgium victory against Switzerland while Croatia and England drew.
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Article body
- Lukaku double against Switzerland takes Belgium clear
- Croatia-England draw leaves Spain in sight of Finals
- Austria, Greece, Belarus and Moldova secure wins
- Group standings
- Next games in these groups on Monday; friendlies
League A
Group A2: Belgium 2-1 Switzerland
In a tight game, Romelu Lukaku struck just before the hour, set up by Thomas Meunier after some Eden Hazard trickery. Mario Gavranović was sent on by Switzerland and promptly equalised, but with six minutes left Lukaku made it five goals in three matches since the FIFA World Cup bronze following a superb move to send Belgium three points clear at the top.
Group A4: Croatia 0-0 England
Both sides claimed their first point in the competition but England were certainly the more disappointed at not winning. Tottenham pair Eric Dier and Harry Kane headed against the woodwork in either half while Marcus Rashford spurned two one-on-one openings after the interval. Both teams trail Spain by five points.
League B
Group B3: Austria 1-0 Northern Ireland
Marko Arnautović's goal earned Austria their first points after Northern Ireland's Paddy McNair and Steven Davis had passed up decent second-half chances. The West Ham striker chased Robert Žulj's ball past his marker, and clipped a low shot around Bailey Farrell-Peacock on 71 minutes. Substitute Will Grigg headed against a post late on for the visitors.
League C
Group C2: Estonia 0-1 Finland
For the third game running, Teemu Pukki secured a 1-0 win for Finland to keep them three points clear of Greece as he struck in added time to make the visitors' domination count. Estonia remain without a point.
Group C2: Greece 1-0 Hungary
It took Greece 65 minutes to have an effort on target but they made it count as Kostas Mitroglou rose to nod in a cross from half-time substitute Alexandros Tziolis. The win leaves Greece three points ahead of Hungary in second.
League D
Group D2: Belarus 1-0 Luxembourg
Luxembourg conceded their first goal – scored by Anton Saroka from a half-cleared cross – as Belarus won narrowly to overtake the visitors by a point in Group 2. The top-of-the-table match witnessed missed chances at both ends, notably by Saroka, Stanislav Dragun, Anton Putilo and Luxembourg's Olivier Thill and Christopher Martins.
Group D2: Moldova 2-0 San Marino
Two Radu Ginsari strikes ended Moldova's 15-game wait for a win. The midfielder side-footed the opener just past the half-hour, then rattled in a second from Alexandru Antoniuc's square ball to settle home nerves, José Hirsch having come worryingly close to levelling. These sides remain third and fourth, Moldova with four points, San Marino with none.