Czech Republic beat Scotland 1-0 to get off the mark in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying Group I

Roman Hubník headed the only goal of the game as the Czech Republic beat Scotland 1-0 to get off the mark in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying Group I. The Hertha BSC Berlin defender finally ended the visitors' stoic resistance with 21 minutes remaining at the Eden Stadium to salve the pain of last month's surprise 1-0 defeat at home to Lithuania.

Unbeaten after two games at kick-off, Scotland arrived in Prague intent on maintaining that record and adding to the Czechs' frustrations. Michal Bílek's men often found their way to goal barred by a well-drilled wall of yellow-shirted defenders, who only looked vulnerable when Tomáš Rosický darted towards them.

The Czech Republic were rarely ruffled at the back themselves as Scotland ventured forward only tentatively. James Morrison's nimble footwork almost produced an opening, yet it was a miscued headed clearance from home debutant Marek Suchý that brought the biggest scare. As a keenly-contested half drew to a close, the hosts gave themselves hope a breakthrough could be made. A Hubník header tested Allan McGregor before the Scotland goalkeeper rushed to smother Tomáš Necid's close-range effort following good work from Michal Kadlec.

With Scotland reluctant to emerge from their shell, the Czechs pressed incessantly, though their best opening came when Craig Levein's men had made a rare foray forward – McGregor brilliantly pawing aside Jan Polák's well-placed header after a sweeping counterattack.

The goalkeeper could do little, though, when Rosický's vicious corner was flicked on and Hubník nodded in from close range. Scotland could have ended up further in the arrears but Roman Bednář's stabbed shot rolled narrowly wide with McGregor wrong-footed. Next up for Scotland is a daunting date with reigning world and European champions Spain on Tuesday when the Czech Republic travel to Liechtenstein.

Xavi was a surprise omission on Thursday from Spain coach Vicente del Bosque's squad for the world champions' Euro 2012 Group I qualifiers

Madrid: Xavi was a surprise omission on Thursday from Spain coach Vicente del Bosque's squad for the world champions' Euro 2012 Group I qualifiers against Lithuania and Scotland next month. The Barcelona playmaker, whom a Spanish soccer federation (RFEF) spokeswoman said was suffering from an Achilles problem and had asked to be rested, joins fellow midfielder Cesc Fabregas and defender Raul Albiol on the injury list. Fabregas damaged a hamstring during Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Sunderland on Sept. 18 and was expected to be out for two to three weeks. "We have two fundamental matches which are extremely dangerous," Del Bosque, who willlead...

Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuaín and Carlos Tévez all hit first-half efforts as the world and European champions experienced a rare defeat.

World and European champions Spain were made to taste a rare defeat as they were comprehensively beaten by Argentina in Buenos Aires.
Fresh from winning 4-0 away against Liechtenstein in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying Group I on Friday, Vicente del Bosque's charges were brought down to earth by first-half efforts from Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuaín and Carlos Tévez. Fernando Llorente responded late on for the visitors, but the last word fell to Sergio Agüero, who restored Argentina's three-goal advantage.

Spain's troubles began ten minutes in as the familiar face of FC Barcelona's Messi chipped superbly over goalkeeper Pepe Reina after collecting a Tévez through ball. Moments later Tévez fed Real Madrid CF's Higuaín to double the advantage, and the Manchester City FC forward added the third himself on 34 minutes following a slip by Reina.

Argentina coach Sergio Batista can hardly have hoped for a better opening period, and his troops made light of Llorente's 84th-minute consolation when Agüero headed in during stoppage time.

Lithuania's Darvydas Šernas told UEFA.com "the whole team won this game" even though it was his goal that earned the Baltic side a shock 1-0 Group I v

Darvydas Šernas's 27th-minute goal gave Lithuania a shock 1-0 Group I win in the Czech Republic, but the winger-turned-forward insisted any credit for the UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying victory should be shared.

Having opened the section with a 0-0 draw at home against Scotland, Lithuania are now second in the five-team group thanks to the diminutive Šernas's header from Marius Stankevičius's cross. However, the RTS Widzew Łódź man was not interested in claiming too much glory for himself after the final whistle.

"The whole team played very well and gave 100%," the 26-year-old told UEFA.com. "For me, it does not matter much who scores; the most important thing is the team. The whole team won this game."

Certainly, plenty of visiting players emerged with plaudits, not least goalkeeper Žydrūnas Karčemarskas, who blocked a Milan Baroš penalty and made a number of other crucial saves. Šernas and Karčemarskas are among four national-team players from the city of Alytus; something that has added to Šernas's enjoyment of Lithuania games. "It's always nice to play alongside people from back home," he explained.

World and European champions Spain – Lithuania's next opponents on 8 October – cast a long shadow over Group I, but beating second seeds the Czech Republic has shown Šernas that qualification is not a pipe dream. "The Czech Republic are a very strong team; looking at the clubs their players represent tells you a lot about them. Three points from this trip is fantastic. It gives us a confidence boost."

Striker Tomas Danilevičius, however, hopes that confidence can be kept in check, mindful that his side's 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying tilt began with wins against Romania and Austria before wilting later on. "We have to avoid a burn-out like last time," he said. "Liechtenstein came very close to a draw in Scotland tonight. That shows that anything can happen and you can never relax."

Mario Frick's stylish goal looked to have earned the visitors a point until Stephen McManus' late winner.

Stephen McManus scored seven minutes into added time as Scotland came from behind to earn a dramatic 2-1 victory against Group I outsiders Liechtenstein.

For 16 minutes at Hampden Park, Mario Frick's opener just after half-time had looked set to earn Liechtenstein a first away win since a 4-0 triumph over Luxembourg in October 2004. Kenny Miller ended any such thoughts and McManus dashed their chances of even a memorable point with his last-gasp header for Craig Levein's side.

Hans-Peter Zaugg's pre-match assertion that his side would need to survive early Scottish pressure proved an astute one. Indeed, they had clearly heeded his words of caution because Scotland, despite their possession and positive intentions, cut frustrated first-half figures. Misdirected headers from Lee McCulloch and Kris Boyd aside, Peter Jehle's goal was rarely threatened.

Untested and, as such, unfazed, Liechtenstein grew in stature and even warmed the palms of Allan McGregor through Sandro Wieser's low shot just before half-time. Scotland had been warned but were still caught cold only a minute after the break. Though David Hasler supplied the cultured cross, it was Frick's one-touch control, stylish spin into space and delightfully shaped shot which left McGregor scrambling to no avail.

Captain Darren Fletcher, winning his 50th cap, was the first to attempt to drag his side back into contention with a stinging first-time shot parried behind by Jehle. The experienced FC Vaduz goalkeeper was helpless four minutes later, though, as Miller pounced on Michael Stocklasa's partial clearance and unleashed a shot of real venom which flew into the roof of the net. Any subsequent impetus was short-lived despite the best efforts of a restless home crowd but they could finally breathe a sigh of relief when McManus headed Barry Robson's corner past Jehle to send Scotland top of the section.