SOCCER: FRIENDLIES REP OF IRELAND'S GROUP (B)SLOVAKIA WARMED up for their trip to Dublin when the Euro 2012 qualifiers resume at the start of next month with a 2-1 win over neighbours Austria in Klagenfurt.
Juraj Kucka and Robert Jez scored in the first half to put the visitors 2-0 up, with Erwin Hoffer grabbing Austria’s goal.
Slovakia, level on points with the Republic of Ireland and Russia at the top of Group B as the qualification campaign enters its pivotal phase, face Giovanni Trapattoni’s side in Dublin on September 2nd.
Russia beat Serbia 1-0 thanks to a second-half goal by Pavel Pogrebnyak but lost striker Alexander Kerzhakov to an ankle injury while Andrei Arshavin was also forced off after a clash of heads.
Inter Milan’s Goran Pandev scored the only goal as Macedonia won 1-0 away to Azerbaijan, while Armenia suffered a 3-0 reverse in Lithuania.
Remaining Fixtures
Sep 2nd – Andorra v Armenia; Russia v Macedonia; Rep of Ireland v Slovakia.
Sep 6th – Russia v Rep of Ireland; Macedonia v Andorra; Slovakia v Armenia.
Oct 7th – Armenia v Macedonia; Andorra v Rep of Ireland; Slovakia v Russia.
Oct 11th – Russia v Andorra; Rep of Ireland v Armenia; Macedonia v Slovakia.
