Germany has beaten Azerbaijan 2-nil to move four points ahead in its football World Cup qualifying group while France laboured to a 1-nil victory over the Faroe Islands and Norway beat Scotland 4-nil.
Goals by Bastian Schweinsteiger and Miroslav Klose in Baku gave the Germans three easy points and they now have 19 from seven games, four clear of the second placed Russians who've played six.
Despite the three points, France are still five points behind Serbia with a game in hand.
Norway's win improves its chances of capturing a playoff spot behind the already qualified Group 9 winner the Netherlands.
The Dutch have 21 points, Scotland and Macedonia seven, Norway six and Iceland four.
Meanwhile Argentina's beaten Russia 3-2 in a friendly in Moscow, despite the absence of injured star Lionel Messi.
