Romania 6-1 Albania
Romania completed their UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifying campaign in style with a comprehensive victory over nine-man Albania to finish top of Group G.
Second-half rout
After taking a first-half lead through Nicolae Dică, Romania scored five goals in a 20-minute second-half spell. Gabriel Tamas put the home side 2-0 up on 53 minutes before Debatik Curri was dismissed. Daniel Niculae added Romania's third and though substitute Edmond Kapllani pulled one back for Albania, Romania countered with further strikes from Niculae, Ciprian Marica and Dică, who registered his second from the penalty spot after Nevil Dede had been shown a second yellow card for bringing down Marica.
Tamas strikes
Romania started well and their pressure told on 22 minutes when Razvan Cocis crossed from the right to Dică who converted from close range. Albania almost equalised at the beginning of the second half when Kapllani centred for Erion Bogdani, but his attempt was superbly saved by Bogdan Lobont. Romania doubled their lead shortly after when Tamas drilled a low free-kick from 30 metres through a crowded area and into the bottom right corner.
Curri off
Albania's problems intensified on 61 minutes when Curri was sent off for a foul on Marica and three minutes later, before Albania could regroup, Dică chipped towards the far post where an unmarked Niculae shot powerfully into the roof of the net. Almost straight from the restart Albania gave themselves a glimmer of hope when Altin Haxhi played the ball into substitute Kapllani on the edge of the box and he turned his marker before finishing well.
Group winners
Romania, however, extinguished that hope in ruthless fashion on 66 minutes. Cocis broke down the right and laid the ball across for Niculae to tap in. With 19 minutes remaining, Dede impeded Răzvan Raţ and Marica sent goalkeeper Arian Beqaj the wrong way to make it 5-1. Two minutes later Dede was penalised again for another foul in the area on Marica. Dede was red-carded and Dică stepped up to fire in the penalty. Romania top their group on 29 points, three above the Netherlands, as Victor Piturca's men progressed to their first major tournament since UEFA EURO 2000™. The match was the last to be played at Bucharest's Lia Manoliu Stadium, which will be demolished to make way for a new five-star arena to be opened in April 2010.
Belarus 2-1 Netherlands
Second-half goals from Vitali Bulyga and Vladimir Korythko ensured Belarus ended their UEFA EURO 2008™ campaign with a famous win against the Netherlands in Minsk.
Qualification assured
The visitors had secured their place at next summer's finals with a 1-0 weekend defeat of Luxembourg, but this result left Marco van Basten's side in second place in Group G behind Romania. Belarus, meanwhile, climbed from sixth position at kick-off to fourth on 13 points, two above Albania and Slovenia.
Enterprising opening
The Netherlands started strongly at the Dinamo Stadium, with Danny Koevermans and Ryan Babel both missing the target when well-placed although visiting keeper Maarten Stekelenburg had to parry a Korythko shot and Aleksandr Hleb fired wide. It was Van Basten's team though – who had scored only 14 goals in their eleven fixtures, one less than their opponents – who were creating the better openings. Yegor Filipenko blocked another Babel effort, while Rafael van der Vaart and Wilfred Bouma tried their luck from distance.
Belarus in front
Maksim Romashchenko served notice of Belarus's threat in the closing seconds of the first period, and the Netherlands failed to heed the warning. The Oranje duly fell behind four minutes into the second half as Bulyga collected Korythko's through ball and slid a low shot past Stekelenburg. Although Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Van der Vaart hinted at an equaliser, Aleksei Skverniuk's powerful long-range drive almost doubled the hosts' lead and a second goal was not long in arriving. It was Korythko who curled it in from the edge of the area following Bulyga's pass.
Superb finish
Koevermans and Van der Vaart both spurned half-chances and the luckless Babel struck the crossbar, yet it was not until the 89th minute that the Netherlands finally unpicked the Belarus defence. Van der Vaart produced a superb finish, neatly chipping Yuri Zhevnov for a consolation goal as Bernd Stange's men held on for a morale-boosting victory.
Slovenia 0-2 Bulgaria
Late goals from Blagoy Georgiev and Dimitar Berbatov ensured Bulgaria ended their UEFA EURO 2008™ campaign with a victory that left them one point off the qualifying places.
Jokič dismissed
Romania and the Netherlands had already secured the two available berths from Group G, with Bulgaria's hopes being finally extinguished last Saturday. Slovenia were reduced to ten men when Bojan Jokič was dismissed moments before half-time and Bulgaria eventually wore down the hosts to seal victory with two goals in the final nine minutes.
Early chances
Both sides had chances in the early stages. Slovenia goalkeeper Samir Handanovič did well to collect Velizar Dimitrov's early header after he had connected with Martin Petrov's cross. At the other end, Andraž Kirm's shot was blocked by Zhivko Milanov and Jokič's long-range effort was kept out by goalkeeper Dimitar Ivankov. Klemen Lavrič's overhead kick following a corner also came close.
Handanovič saves
The momentum swung Bulgaria's way shortly before half-time when Jokič was sent off for pulling back Hristo Yovov as he bore down on goal. Handanovič easily dealt with Martin Petrov's subsequent free-kick, but Bulgaria would ultimately make their advantage tell.
Late flurry
Early in the second half Handanovič saved Yovov's angled shot then kept out Aleksandar Tunchev's header as the visiting team pressed. On 81 minutes Bulgaria finally made the breakthrough as Georgiev put his side in front with a volley. The points were made safe three minutes after that when Berbatov converted from close range after good play from Dimitrov.
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