Gauračs stars as Latvia stun Romania

Edgars Gauračs scored his second hat-trick of Latvia's qualifying campaign as the home side stunned Group 1 leaders Romania 5-1 in Riga.

Top scorer
Gauračs had also hit three in victory against the Faroe Islands last month and now has a competition-leading seven qualifying goals to his name after a commanding performance at the Daugava Stadium which sent Romania crashing to their first defeat after four successive wins.

Gauračs hat-trick
Artjoms Rudņevs opened the scoring in the 30th minute and Latvia went into the break 2-0 in front after FK Ventspils striker Gauračs struck his first of the night with a spectacular scissors-kick nine minutes later. Further goals followed from Gauračs on 63 and 66 minutes, with the 21-year-old completing his hat-trick with a direct free-kick.

Rudņevs double
Still Latvia were not finished and Rudņevs claimed his second and Latvia's fifth with five minutes to play after latching on to Daniils Turkovs's fine pass. Gabriel Torje pulled one back for Romania from the penalty spot, his fifth goal in qualifying, in the fourth minute of added time, but the result had long since been decided. Romania still head the section on 12 points, three ahead of Latvia and Russia, who play their game in hand at home to the Faroe Islands on Saturday.