Poland 5 Azerbaijan 0

Poland stormed to the top of Group A with a comprehensive 5-0 victory over lowly Azerbaijan.

The hosts raced into a three-goal lead after just 30 minutes as Jacek Bak, Dariusz Dudka and Wojciech Lobodzinski all netted before Jacek Krzynowek and Przemyslaw Kazmierczak sealed the three points after the interval.

The defeat leaves Azerbaijan rooted to the bottom of the group, with only a 1-1 draw against Kazakhstan back in September to show for their efforts, while Poland moved two points clear of Finland, who did not play this weekend.

Buoyed by the news that rivals Serbia had suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to Kazakhstan earlier in the day, Poland started in explosive fashion and were ahead after just three minutes.

Lukasz Gargula whipped in a teasing free-kick from the right channel after Michal Zewlakow had been hauled down and Bak rose highest to thump a powerful header past Jahangir Hasanzade from six yards.

And just three minutes later Poland doubled their advantage with an almost carbon copy of their opening goal.

Zewlakow's whipped cross eluded the Azerbaijan defenders and the unmarked Dudka arrowed a neat header into Hasanzade's top corner to effectively end the contest.

Poland were rampant in the opening stages and they threatened again soon after as Radoslaw Matusiak's dipping strike from 20 yards flew narrowly over Hasanzade's crossbar.

Just after the half-hour mark and Poland scored the third goal that their enterprising play deserved.

After seeing off the attention of his marker, Gargula sent a deep cross into the area that Lobodzinski met with a header from six yards that nestled into the bottom right-hand corner.

The hosts started the second period in a similar fashion to the first, but they had to wait until the 58th minute to net their fourth.

Celtic striker Maciej Zurawski did well to feed a neat ball into the path of Krzynowek and he coolly slotted home past the onrushing Hasanzade.

And Poland wrapped up the convincing victory seven minutes from time as Kazmierczak headed home Gargula's inviting cross.

Poland (3) 5 Azerbaijan (0) 0

Poland Boruc, Wasilewski, Dudka, Bak, Zewlakow, Lobodzinski,Gargula, Lewandowski, Krzynowek (Jelen 79), Zurawski,Matusiak (Kazmierczak 69).

Subs Not Used: Kowalewski, Kokoszka, Baszczynski, Murawski,

Sobolewski.

Goals: Bak 3, Dudka 6, Lobodzinski 34, Krzynowek 58,

Kazmierczak 84.

Azerbaijan Hasanzade, Karimov, Abbasov, Pereira, Bahshiev,Gurbanov, Imamaliev (Agakishiev 65), Kerimov (Javadov 67),Chertoganov, Gomes (Ladaga 62), Subashic.

Subs Not Used: Veliyev, Junisoglu, Guliyev, Nadyrov.

Booked: Kerimov, Gurbanov, Javadov.

Att: 12,000

Ref: Kristinn Jakobsson (Iceland).

Source:sportinglife.com