Croatia 4 - 0 Andorra

Rakitic nets a brace in rout

Updated: October 15, 2008, 8:00 AM UK

Ivan Rakitic scored twice and Tottenham's Luka Modric also netted as Croatia secured a routine win over Andorra in England's World Cup qualifying group tonight.

The Schalke winger opened the scoring after 17 minutes and completed the rout three minutes from full-time from the penalty spot.

In between, Ivica Olic made it 2-0 and Modric added a third for a Croatia side who moved up to second in Group Six - five points behind England.

After dominating the early stages, the hosts took the lead when Rakitic fired home a free-kick from 25 yards, the ball curling into the top left-hand corner.

The lead was almost doubled two minutes later but Ivan Klasnic nodded Danijel Pranjic's cross narrowly wide.

Andorra were struggling to get out of their own half and Croatia again came close after 25 minutes, Spurs team-mates Modric and Vedran Corluka combining with the latter's effort hitting the bar.

The second goal duly arrived on the half-hour mark.

Olic was brought down in the area by Victor Rodriguez and a spot-kick awarded. Visiting keeper Jesus Alvarez saved Modric's penalty, and his follow-up, but Olic was on hand to smuggle home the rebound.

Sensing the game was already beyond their opponents, Croatia took their foot off the pedal in the second half.

Mladen Petric did come close with a shot which was well saved by Alvarez but that was all the hosts had to offer in the opening 20 minutes of the second period.

Croatia finally upped the tempo in the closing stages and Modric made it 3-0 with a well-placed drive from 16 yards after the Andorra defence had failed to clear a low cross.

A Rakitic penalty completed the scoring although there was still time for Klasnic to be denied by Alvarez when the Nantes forward was clean through.