Brazil beats Colombia, seals Qatar 2022 berth

Lucas Paqueta got the vital goal 72 minutes into the match with a shot that Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina got a hand to but could not stop. Following the result, Brazil tops the 10-team South American group with 34 points from 12 matches. The top-four nations qualify automatically for the Qatar World Cup next year and the fifth-placed side goes into an inter-regional play-off.

The match was a feisty one with neither side imposing themselves, producing as many as 44 fouls and seven yellow cards. It took a moment of magic from Paqueta to decide the game, when he received a pass from Neymar and fired home from just inside the box. The result put Brazil, which has won 11 of its 12 matches so far, in an unassailable position.

RESULT: Brazil 1 (L Paqueta 72) bt Colombia 0

Germany crushes Liechtenstein

A makeshift Germany team crushed 10-man Liechtenstein 9-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Wolfsburg on Thursday as Hansi Flick recorded the best-ever start for a German coach with his sixth win in as many games in charge. It is to be remembered that Germany has already sealed its spot at the Qatar WC 2022.

RESULTS: Germany 9 (I Gundogan 11(P), D Kaufmann 20(OG), L Sane 22 & 49, M Reus 23, T Muller 76 & 86, R Baku 80, M Goppel 89(OG)) bt Liechtenstein 0; Greece 0 lost to Spain 1 (P Sarabia 26(P)); Ireland 0 drew with Portugal 0; Malta 1 (M Brozovic 31(OG)) lost to Croatia 7 (I Perisic 6, D Caleta-Car 22, M Pasalic 39, L Modric 45+1, L Majer 47 & 64, A Kramaric 53)