In front of a sell-out crowd in Warsaw, Poland finally did it. The Poles beat World Cup winner Germany 2-0 for their first win in 19 meetings on Saturday. It was Germany’s first defeat after 18 competitive games, and its first loss in qualifying after 33 matches.
Also in Group D, Robbie Keane’s hat trick helped Ireland thrash Gibraltar 7-0, taking his international goals tally to 65 and becoming the top scorer in European Championship qualifying history, with 21 goals.
Group D: Bursting with joy and pride, thousands of Poland fans in national white-and-red scarfs chanted “We are the world champion” and “Goodbye Germany” in German, as they streamed out from the stadium in Warsaw where Poland beat Germany 2-0. Arkadiusz Milik scored with Poland’s first shot on target in the 51st minute, and Robert lewandowski set up Sebastian Mila to seal the result in the 88th. It was Germany’s first loss in qualifying since a 3-0 loss at home to the Czech Republic in October 2007. Earlier, Keane’s hat trick in a 13-minute span helped Ireland to a thrashing of Gibraltar in Dublin, and Scotland scraped a 1-0 win over Georgia in Glasgow thanks to Akaki Khubutia’s first-half own goal.
Messi, Ronaldo shadows
IN FRIENDlIES
lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo spent a rare Saturday in the shadows as Argentina and Portugal slipped to defeats in friendly internationals staged more than 8,000km apart. Messi missed a first-half penalty as Brazil beat Argentina 2-0 in a fiercely contested “Superclasico” in front of 50,000 fans in the Chinese capital.
Seven hours later, Ronaldo’s Portugal lost 2-1 to France in Paris.
Diego Tardelli, 29, put Brazil ahead on 28 minutes, before Messi curled his soft penalty attempt close to goalkeeper Jefferson just before half-time.
Tardelli was on target again in the second half as Brazil restored pride after the World Cup, when the hosts were hammered in the semis while Argentina reached the final. At the Stade de France in Paris, Karim Benzema scored an early goal and set up Paul Pogba’s winner as France beat Portugal.
Real Madrid striker Benzema outshone clubmate Ronaldo as France ripped into Portugal from the off, taking the lead after three minutes.
Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio could only parry Bacary Sagna’s shot, leaving Benzema to convert. Benzema then set up Pogba to fire home a precise side-footed effort from just inside the box on 69 minutes.
It took Ronaldo until late in the first half to flicker into life. He looked to have the France back line beaten in the 51st minute but Steve Mandanda’s outstretched fingers stopped a deft header from finding the bottom corner of the net. Seconds later Portugal were back in with a chance at 2-1 when Pogba clipped Joao Mario in the box. Ricardo Quaresma duly converted from the spot, sending his penalty down the middle as Mandanda dived right.