Group One: Finland v The Netherlands. Substitute striker Robin van Persie came on to help create two goals and score one himself as the Netherlands beat Finland 4-0 away last night to remain top of Group One.

Ruud van Nistelrooy opened the scoring against the flow of play in the 36th minute. The Netherlands top Group One with 22 points from eight games, one point ahead of the Czech Republic, who hammered Macedonia 6-1.

Czech Republic v Macedonia. Striker Jan Koller thumped four goals in an 11-minute spell as the Czech Republic thrashed Macedonia 6-1 yesterday to maintain their drive for a place in the finals.

GROUP TWO: Greece v Ukraine. Ukraine stunned the European champions Greece with a late second-half goal last night to win 1-0 and edge closer to a World Cup spot.

Their win puts them firmly on course for automatic qualification for the 2006 finals in Germany, leaving Turkey, Greece and Denmark to fight it out for second place. Ukraine need only win one of their remaining three matches to secure qualification for their first major tournament.

Kazakhstan v Turkey. Turkey were merciless as they thrashed hosts Kazakhstan 6-0 in Almaty.

GROUP THREE: Estonia v Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo's first-half goal put Portugal firmly on course for a place in the finals as they beat hosts Estonia in Tallinn. Ronaldo's header from a Luis Figo cross proved to be the difference and keeps Luiz Felipe Scolari's men on top of a highly competitive group in which Slovakia, Russia, Latvia and Estonia have all posted decent challenges.

GROUP EIGHT: Iceland v Malta. Iceland claimed their first win of their campaign, beating strugglers Malta 4-1 in Reykjavik, where Chelsea's Eidur Gudjohnsen scored their second goal.

FRIENDLY INTERNATIONAL: Germany v Russia. Bastian Schweinsteiger scored his first international goals for Germany as the World Cup hosts drew 2-2 with Russia at the Borussia Park stadium last night.