Group I round-up
Rezek double helps secure a runners-up place
Last Updated: October 11, 2011 10:23pm
Jan Rezek: Netted a first half double to help the Czech Republic ease to a comfortable win
Czech Republic pipped Scotland to second spot in Group I, and a play-off place, with a 4-1 victory away in Lithuania.
The Czechs knew they had to better Scotland's result in Spain to keep their Euro 2012 dream alive, and they did just that with a convincing win.
The result in Kaunas never looked in doubt, with the visitors having set about their task from the opening whistle.
Michal Kadlec put the Czechs ahead from the penalty spot within two minutes and Jan Rezek's double had them three up at the break.
The Czechs were reduced to 10 men midway through the second half when Roman Hubnik saw red for a professional foul, Darvydas Sernas converting the resulting penalty, but another Kadlec spot-kick five minutes from time put the seal on a comfortable away win.
The game could hardly have got off to a worse start for fourth-placed Lithuania, who conceded a penalty with less than a minute on the clock.
Unleashed
Andrius Skerla earned a yellow card for a foul on Milan Baros and Kadlec unleashed a cool left-footed penalty into the top-left corner.
Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech had to be on his toes to preserve his side's lead in the fourth minute, tipping Sernas' shot around the post, but the action soon returned to the other end.
Baros almost doubled his side's lead just before the quarter-hour mark when his right-footed blast from the edge of the area struck the post, but the visitors did not have to wait too much longer for their second goal.
Galatasaray striker Baros was the provider, setting up Anorthosis Famagusta frontman Rezek to lash into the top-left corner in the 16th minute.
Rezek, the player accused of diving to earn the Czechs a crucial late penalty in their 2-2 draw in Scotland last month, got his name on the scoresheet for the second time just before the interval when he slid in to head home Jaroslav Plasil's cross.
Hubnik was sent off in the 67th minute for bringing down Sernas in the area, with the forward picking himself up to despatch the penalty past Cech and reduce the deficit to 3-1.
But the Czechs soon restored their three-goal cushion when Kadlec sent the third spot-kick of the night into the bottom-right corner after Ramunas Radavicius had fouled Tomas Pekhart, and the visitors - knowing Spain had done them a favour in Alicante - were able to celebrate their play-off place.
Tables
European Championship Qualifying Group A
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany | 10 | 30 |
| 2 | Turkey | 10 | 17 |
| 3 | Belgium | 10 | 15 |
| 4 | Austria | 10 | 12 |
| 5 | Azerbaijan | 10 | 7 |
| 6 | Kazakhstan | 10 | 4 |
European Championship Qualifying Group B
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Russia | 10 | 23 |
| 2 | Republic of Ireland | 10 | 21 |
| 3 | Armenia | 10 | 17 |
| 4 | Slovakia | 10 | 15 |
| 5 | Macedonia | 10 | 8 |
| 6 | Andorra | 10 | 0 |
European Championship Qualifying Group C
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italy | 10 | 26 |
| 2 | Estonia | 10 | 16 |
| 3 | Serbia | 10 | 15 |
| 4 | Slovenia | 10 | 14 |
| 5 | Northern Ireland | 10 | 9 |
| 6 | Faroe Islands | 10 | 4 |
European Championship Qualifying Group D
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 10 | 21 |
| 2 | Bosnia | 10 | 20 |
| 3 | Romania | 10 | 14 |
| 4 | Belarus | 10 | 13 |
| 5 | Albania | 10 | 9 |
| 6 | Luxembourg | 10 | 4 |
European Championship Qualifying Group E
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netherlands | 10 | 27 |
| 2 | Sweden | 10 | 24 |
| 3 | Hungary | 10 | 19 |
| 4 | Finland | 10 | 10 |
| 5 | Moldova | 10 | 9 |
| 6 | San Marino | 10 | 0 |
European Championship Qualifying Group F
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greece | 10 | 24 |
| 2 | Croatia | 10 | 22 |
| 3 | Israel | 10 | 16 |
| 4 | Latvia | 10 | 11 |
| 5 | Georgia | 10 | 10 |
| 6 | Malta | 10 | 1 |
European Championship Qualifying Group G
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | England | 8 | 18 |
| 2 | Montenegro | 8 | 12 |
| 3 | Switzerland | 8 | 11 |
| 4 | Wales | 8 | 9 |
| 5 | Bulgaria | 8 | 5 |
European Championship Qualifying Group H
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denmark | 8 | 19 |
| 2 | Portugal | 8 | 16 |
| 3 | Norway | 8 | 16 |
| 4 | Iceland | 8 | 4 |
| 5 | Cyprus | 8 | 2 |
European Championship Qualifying Group I
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain | 8 | 24 |
| 2 | Czech Republic | 8 | 13 |
| 3 | Scotland | 8 | 11 |
| 4 | Lithuania | 8 | 5 |
| 5 | Liechtenstein | 8 | 4 |
