Round-up: Spain edge Turks

Soren Larsen scored twice on as Denmark extended their unbeaten start in World Cup qualifying Group One with a routine 3-0 victory over Malta.

Larsen fired Denmark ahead after 12 minutes when he tapped the ball past Malta goalkeeper Justin Haber from close range after receiving a perfect pass from Dennis Rommedahl.

Another lapse in concentration by the Maltese defence gifted Denmark a second goal after 23 minutes. Martin Jorgensen unpicked the Maltese defence with a floating pass from midfield and the unmarked Larsen prodded past Haber.

Striker Sandor Torghelle scored in the first half to help Hungary beat Albania 1-0 and climb to the top of World Cup qualifying Group One.

Torghelle scored in 38th minute after defender Armend Dallku failed to clear a ball into the area and set up Torghelle who shot into the net from close range.

Both sides missed good chances throughhout the match, but Albania lacked the power to seriously threaten Hungary goalkeeper Gabor Babos.

Portugal face an uphill struggle to reach the World Cup finals after wasting a host of chances in a 0-0 Group One qualifying draw with Sweden.

Portugal dominated the first half and came close to scoring in the 24th minute when Duda's cross from the left wing hit the post after deceiving Sweden keeper Isaksson.

A flowing move on 43 minutes ended with Simao's volley going just wide, and Danny carried his team's poor finishing into the second-half when his shot failed to hit the target after an excellent pass from Tiago, while Deco recovered from injury to come on as a substitute - only to waste two good chances.

Latvia won 4-0 at Luxembourg in their World Cup Group Two qualifier. The visitors took the lead on 23 minutes through striker Girts Karlsons, who picked up a deflection in the penalty area following a free kick, and Aleksandrs Cauna and Aleksejs Visnakovs extended the visitors' lead after halftime.

Second-half substitute Andrejs Pereplotkins completing the rout in the 86th minute while Luxembourg struggled to find any rhythm and never threatened Latvia keeper Andris Vanins.

Switzerland comfortably beat Moldova 2-0 in their World Cup Group Two qualifier on Saturday, the visiting side taking the lead in the first half and sealing victory with a late header.

Moldova goalkeeper Stanislav Namasco saved a fierce early shot by Swiss striker Alexander Frei but three minutes later Frei struck again from 15 metres and the ball flew past Namasco into the corner of the net.

The Swiss squandered several opportunities to extend their lead and Moldova's only real chance came in the 50th minute when Igor Bugaiov's penalty struck the post.

Gelson Fernandes, who came in as a substitute in the 79th minute, sealed the victory late in stoppage time when he nodded the ball in from five yards.

A save from Israeli goalkeeper Dudu Aouate in injury time helped his side earn a 1-1 with Greece in their World Cup qualifier.

Greece took the lead in the 42nd minute, silencing the local crowd when Fanis Gekas pounced on a rebounding shot to put the ball into the Israeli goal from close range.

Israel began the second half with more determination and got the equaliser in the 55th minute when Omer Golan slotted the ball into the Greek net after being put through by Yossi Benayoun.

Slovenia were left ruing missed opportunities after their 0-0 draw against the Czech Republic in their World Cup Group Three qualifier.

The two teams both have eight points from five games, one behind second-place Slovenia who have played a match less. Northern Ireland top the group with 10 points from six games.

Slovenia first threatened the Czech's goal after eight minutes but Milivoje Novakovic's header went wide.

Slovenia's Zlatko Dedic and Czech Milan Baros also had several scoring opportunities.

Germany stayed top of the World Cup Group Four qualifying table by destroying Liechtenstein 4-0 on Saturday.

Captain Michael Ballack and Marcell Jansen scored inside the first eight minutes before Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski completed the rout early in the second half.

Germany, who also missed a host of chances, have 13 points from five matches. Russia are second on nine points and have a game in hand.

Goals from Roman Pavlyuchenko and Konstantin Zyryanov gave Russia a 2-0 win over Azerbaijan in their World Cup qualifier.

Striker Pavlyuchenko opened the scoring just past the half hour before laying on the second midway through the second half for midfielder Zyryanov.

Defender Gerard Pique scored his first goal for Spain to give the European champions a narrow 1-0 win over Turkey in their World Cup qualifying Group Five match.

The Barcelona defender turned the ball in from close range on the hour after Xavi's floated free kick from the right had ricocheted back across goal off Sergio Ramos.

The win cemented Spain's lead at the top of the group with a maximum 15 points from five matches ahead of Bosnia on nine and Turkey on eight.

Substitute Gevorg Ghazarjan scored a late, hotly contested equaliser to give Armenia a 2-2 draw against Estonia in their World Cup qualifier.

Referee Luc Wilmes awarded Armenia the 88th-minute goal after linesman Antonio de Carolis ruled Ghazarjan's effort had crossed the line in mid-air before goalkeeper Sergei Pareiko palmed the ball away.

Striker Henrikh Mkhitaryan had put Armenia ahead just past the half hour but Estonia equalised within three minutes through Konstatin Vassiljev and went in front when substitute Sergei Zenjov scored in the 67th minute.

Three goals in the last 16 minutes earned Bosnia a thrilling 4-2 win over Belgium in their World Cup qualifier.

Bosnia's victory gave them nine points from five matches in Group Five, two points ahead of Belgium who have also played five games.

A right-foot shot from striker Edin Dzeko put Bosnia in front after seven minutes.

Moussa Dembele equalised in the 65th before the Belgians were floored by three quickfire goals from Sanel Jahic (74), Zlatan Bajramovic (80) and Zvjezdan Misimovic (86).

Striker Wesley Sonck pulled a late consolation goal back for the hosts with an 89th-minute penalty.

Serbia remained top of the World Cup Group Seven qualifying table by beating Romania 3-2 in a match marred by crowd trouble.

Romania suffered their first defeat in the Black Sea resort of Constanta after strikes from Milan Jovanovic and Branislav Ivanovic and an own goal from Dorel Stoica, who also scored at the other end.

Jovanovic swept in a rebound in the 18th minute after Milos Krasic had hit the post.

Stoica then put through his own net following a 44th-minute corner before Ciprian Marica pulled a goal back for Romania with a delightful lob five minutes into the second period.

Ivanovic restored Serbia's two-goal lead with an acrobatic close-range volley. Stoica replied for the home team by turning in an Adrian Mutu free kick in the 74th minute.

France kept their World Cup qualifying hopes alive when a Franck Ribery goal earned them a 1-0 win away to Lithuania.

Midfielder Ribery found the back of the net in the 67th minute with a powerful 20-metre drive after being set up by playmaker Yoann Gourcuff.

France, who have a game in hand, remain third in Group Seven with seven points from four matches, two points behind second-placed Lithuania, who meet the French again in Paris on Wednesday.

Cyprus climbed off the bottom of European Group Eight with a 2-1 home win over Georgia.

Veteran Michael Konstantinou opened the scoring in the 33rd minute after taking a through ball from Chrysostomos Michail to shoot low into the Georgian net.

Dimitris Christofi, making in his seventh appearance for the national side, increased the lead in the 56th minute with a long range shot.

Georgia pulled one back with a penalty in the 71st minute from Levan Kobiashvili, awarded after Beka Gotsiridze was tripped by Michail.

Cyprus have four points after four matches, while Georgia are now bottom of the group with two points from six games.

Debutant Giampaolo Pazzini was on target to help Italy beat Montenegro 2-0 and move two points clear at the top of World Cup qualifying Group Eight.

The Sampdoria forward, who came on for Vincenzo Iaquinta in the second half to make his maiden international appearance, headed in a Simone Pepe cross for the world champions' second in the 73rd minute.

Midfielder Andrea Pirlo had coolly chipped a penalty into the top corner to give Italy the lead in the 11th minute after handball by Radoslav Batak.