BRUSSELS -- Belgium romped to double
figures and their highest ever win on Wednesday, thrashing
minnows San Marino 10-1 in a one-sided a World Cup qualifier.
More importantly, Belgium now top Group Six with seven
points from three matches and a healthy goal difference of 14-1.
Rivals Scotland are second on seven points with a 4-1 goal
tally. Latvia (3 from 3), Croatia (2 from 2) and San Marino (0
from 3) complete the standings.
Belgian coach Robert Waseige said the resounding win would
set his team up for the crucial March 24 visit to Glasgow.
"We're in top spot now, but even after the Scotland game
we'll only be halfway along the road (to qualification).
"But it should put a little bit of pressure on the other two
fancied sides in the group (Scotland and Croatia)," he said.
"Let's be realistic, we're not going to get carried away by
this. Scotland's going to be a completely different game," said
Schalke 04 striker Emile Mpenza.
Thumbing through the record books, Belgium's previous best
was a 9-0 win over Zambia in a friendly in Brussels in 1994.
A late San Marino goal -- only the second they have scored
in the last five years -- saved them from their heaviest defeat.
That record still stands with Norway, who beat the Italian
mini-state 10-0 in 1992.
BOOST FROM EARLY GOALS
The home side, looking to score a hatful and gain a
psychological boost over Scotland, were quick to get off the
mark and settle any nerves with three goals inside half an hour.
Bustling Anderlecht midfielder Yves Vanderhaeghe fired home
a bart Goor through-ball on 10 minutes for his first
international goal.
Three minutes later Mpenza stabbed home a loose ball in the
area to make it 2-0 and Goor added a third on 26 minutes as the
visitors wilted.
Vanderhaeghe grabbed his second five minutes after the break
and moments later Goor made it 5-0 with an audacious lob after a
poor clearance from San Marino keeper Federico Gasperoni.
Walter Baseggio headed in a Goor corner on 64 minutes and
captain Marc Wilmots made it 7-0 with another close range
header.
Vitesse Arnhem striker Bob Peeters, a second half
substitute, completed the rout with a 12-minute hat-trick as the
home side ran riot.
But San Marino ended with a flourish and a bit of history of
their own.
In the last minute, Andy Selva, their only professional,
curled home a free-kick from just outside the area -- their
first goal in close to 800 minutes since a Selva penalty against
Austria in October 1998.
Waseige paid tribute to the visitors who, he said, never
gave up and deserved to get their last minute consolation.
With masterly understatement, San Marino coach Gianpaolo
Mazza said: "I think it was the right result. The difference
between the two sides was too big."
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