ISTANBUL -- Turkey eased to a 3-0 home win
over Azerbaijan 3-0 on Saturday to move top of World Cup
qualifying group four.
Real Sociedad's Tayfun Korkut got the Turks off to an ideal
start with a goal after two minutes and striker Oktay Derlioglu
made it two on the half hour. Hakan Sukur, captaining the
Turkish side, struck after 33 minutes to take Turkey into the
break three goals ahead.
With an eye on Wednesday's home game against Macedonia, the
Turks eased off after the break.
Turkey have 14 points and top the group on goal difference
from Sweden, who defeated Slovakia 2-0 in Stockholm. Slovakia
have 11 points.
Sweden rallies behind Allback's two goals
STOCKHOLM -- Marcus Allback scored both
goals as Sweden beat Slovakia 2-0 in their European group four
World Cup qualifier on Saturday.
Sweden, who began the day equal on points at the top of the
group with both Slovakia and Turkey, went three points clear of
the Slovakians in a tight race for a berth in next year's finals
in Japan and South Korea.
Heerenveen striker Allback, unmarked just a few metres from
goal, put Sweden ahead in the dying minutes of the first half
when he turned quickly to stroke the ball in.
He made it 2-0 six minutes into the second half with a
controlled volley at close range from Magnus Svensson's precise
cross from the left.
The win put Sweden, who play Moldova at home in Gothenburg
on Wednesday, on 14 points from six matches at the top of group
four, three points clear of Slovakia.
Macedonia, Moldova play to 2-2 draw
SKOPJE -- Substitute Ruslan Barburos earned
Moldova a 2-2 draw in Macedonia with a goal 18 minutes from time
in their World Cup European group four qualifier on Saturday.
Serghei Pogreban had earlier taken advantage of a defensive
error by Macedonia to give Moldova the lead after 10 minutes.
The home side equalised with a penalty from midfielder Artim
Sakiri 10 minutes later after he was brought down in the area by
keeper Denis Romanenco.
A Mile Krstev free-kick in the 65th minute put Macedonia in
front until Barburos leveled the score seven minutes later.
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