Burnden Aces

International Round-Up

• September 10, 2008 | By Chris Mann
• Short URL: http://b-ac.es/42093

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• Euzebiusz Smolarek, Gretar Steinsson, Heidar Helguson, Joey O'Brien, Jussi Jaaskelainen, Ricardo Gardner, Tamir Cohen
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Ebi Smolarek was on target for Poland as they cruised to a 2-0 victory over San Marino on Wednesday night.

Smolarek had hit the post with just 12 minutes on the clock, but he later gave the visitors the lead, tapping home from close range after Aldo Simoncini had been denied by Lukasz Piszczek.

The Wanderers loanee also had a hand in the second goal, as hit shot came back off the post, allowing Robert Lewandowski to tap into an empty net.

Jussi Jaaskelainen was involved in what was arguably the game of the night across Europe.

Finland, playing their first qualifying game, led three times against Germany, but a hat-trick from Bayern Munich's Miroslav Klose spared their blushes and denied Finland a famous upset.

Tamir Cohen played the whole 90 minutes as Israel came from behind to win 2-1 in Moldova. Cohen was booked just before the break for dissent.

Cohen wasn't the only Wanderers player to be booked for dissent on Wednesday night, with Iceland's Heidar Helguson also seeing yellow.

Iceland crashed to a 2-1 defeat at home to Scotland, with goals from Kirk Broadfoot and Barry Robson giving the Scots a two goal lead inside the hour.

Former Bolton favourite Eidur Gudjohnsen scored from the penalty spot inside the final fifteen minutes, but couldn't prevent the defeat.

For the second successive game, Joey O'Brien failed to make the Republic of Ireland team, as they played out a goalless draw in Macedonia.

Ricardo Gardner is expected to captain Jamaica in the early hours as Jamaica look to bounce back from Sunday's defeat to Mexico when they face Honduras.

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