Pavlyuchenko at the double
Roman Pavlyuchenko scored two penalties in the space of six minutes as Russia beat Liechtenstein 3-0.
Centre-back Vasili Berezutsky opened the scoring with a shot from 10 yards in the 17th minute, before Tottenham striker Pavlyuchenko was twice on target before the break.
In the 39th minute, he doubled Russia's advantage from the spot after Igor Denisov had been tripped by Liechtenstein right-back Marco Ritzberger. Then Pavlyuchenko scored again from the spot on the stroke of half-time when Aleksandr Kerzhakov was bundled over by Franz-Josef Vogt.
Today's other Group Four fixture was settled 2-1 in favour of visitors Finland against Azerbaijan, thanks to an 85th-minute goal from Petri Pasanen in Lankaran City.
Elvin Mammadov put the hosts in front in the 49th minute to give them hope of recording their first qualifying win.
But FC Zurich's Hannu Tihinen equalised in the 74th minute, before Werder Bremen defender Pasanen completed the comeback.
The victory lifted the Finns to 13 points and kept them five adrift of second-placed Russia.
Match Reports
Powered by Disqus
Join us on Facebook