Romania 1 - Turkey 0; Hungary 1 - Estonia 0; Netherlands v. Andorra

Turkey got to play in front of a friendly crowd in Istanbul as they took on Romania.  Semih Kaya had a header off an early set piece, but Romania goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu made he sprawling save to his right.  Turkey had the better off the chances in the opening frame, but it were the Romanians who struck on a counter in stoppage time.  Mihai Pintilii knocked a ball over the defense from six yards inside his own half.  Gheorghe Grozav latched onto the ball and had to fire a shot from twenty-three yards over an onrushing goalkeeper.  Grozav found the back of the vacated net, and Romania had a 1-0 halftime advantage.

In the second period, Romania played a through ball to Razvan Cocis, but he failed to extend the advantage after hitting a ball high and wide though he was unmarked from thirteen yards.  Turkish midfielder Nuri Sahin blew a header chance in the sixth minute of stoppage time, allowing Romania to escape from Istanbul with a 1-0 win and first-place in Group D.

Netherlands welcomed last-place Andorra to their abode in Rotterdam.  Six minutes after the opening whistle, Rafael van der Vaart delivered the first Dutch goal with a nutmegging shot into the corner of the goal.  Netherlands would score number two eight minutes later when Klaas Jan Huntelaar squatted to use the back of his head to score off a Jeremain Lens cross.  The first half ended at 2-0 to the home side.

Four minutes after the restart, Andorra failed to make clean contact with a headed clearance, and the ball bounced into the path of Ruben Schaken, who scored his first ever goal for the Netherlands on the play.  Netherlands will head to Romania on Tuesday with first place in Group D at stake.  The Dutch ended up hitting the frame of the goal on two further occasions as they win the match 3-0.

Estonia were hoping some home cooking in Tallinn could kick-start their flagging campaign, but Hungary were none too keen to oblige.  Six minutes in, a great cross from Zoltan Gera should have resulted in a goal, but the header was pushed wide under no pressure by Tamas Koltai.  Tamas Hajnal nearly gave Hungary the opener, but his free kick effort was tipped away.  The half ended 0-0.

Hungary took but two minutes to pull ahead in the second half, however, as Hajnal scored a brilliant goal from the top of the half circle as he gathered a loose ball and fired away.  Hajnal nearly had an assist fifteen minutes later off a long through ball, but Adam Szalai's shot was palmed on the stretch by Estonia goalkeeper Sergei Pareiko.  Andres Oper nearly equalized with five minutes to go, but his four-yard effort deflected off the legs of a fallen Hungarian defender and into the gloves of a kneeling goalkeeper, a bad luck effort if there ever has been one.  Hungary hold onto their clean sheet and win 1-0 to remain in contention in Group D.

Netherlands 9 pts +8
Romania 9 pts +7
Hungary 6 pts +3
Turkey 3 pts 0
Estonia 0 pts-6
Andorra 0 pts -12

Goals
Romania
Gheorghe Grozav 45+1

Netherlands
Rafael van der Vaart 6
Klaas Jan Huntelaar 14
Ruben Schaken 49

Hungary
Tamas Hajnal 47

Netherlands 9 pts +8
Romania 9 pts +7
Hungary 6 pts +3
Turkey 3 pts 0
Estonia 0 pts -6
Andorra 0 pts -12

Match Reports:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/news/newsid=1784049/index.html
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/soccer/wires/10/12/2080.ap.soc.netherlands.andorra.1st.ld.writethru.371/index.html
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/news/newsid=1784238/index.html
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/news/newsid=1784273/index.html

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9nWMg-MGBE (Romania v. Turkey)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTj7AGDJ5uw (Netherlands v. Andorra)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xEEo7N_1Nk (Hungary v. Estonia)