Bosnia brush aside Latvia

Bosnia-Herzegovina scored five second-half goals to finally put away 10-man Latvia and strengthen their position atop World Cup qualifying group G.

Bosnia-Herzegovina scored five second-half goals to finally put away 10-man Latvia and strengthen their position atop World Cup qualifying group G. The hosts had Aleksandrs Fertovs sent off early in the game but kept the scoreline goalless until the interval. But Senad Lulic and Vedad Ibisevic struck shortly after half-time and further goals from Haris Medunjanin, Miralem Pjanic and Edin Dzeko made for an emphatic away win. Bosnia threatened first in the fourth minute when Pjanic's 20-yard shot was parried and Lulic, under pressure, blazed the rebound over the bar. Fertovs was dismissed by English referee Mike Dean in the 11th minute after a studs-up challenge that left Elvir Rahimic needing treatment. Keeper Andris Vanins denied Pjanic again from a free-kick and the Roma playmaker curled a deft effort just wide after good build-up involving impressive left-winger Sejad Salihovic. Dzeko dragged a poor shot wide, Pjanic's mishit was tipped over by Vanins and defender Ervin Zukanovic allowed Medunjanin's cross to bounce off his shoulder and away from the gaping goal as the first half somehow ended goalless. The opener came three minutes after the restart when, after Dzeko hit a post and Vanins brilliantly denied Lulic, the latter finally turned Mensur Mujdza's deflected cross past the wrong-footed keeper. Ibisevic headed in Lulic's cross five minutes later and Medunjanin added a quite brilliant third in the 63rd minute, firing left-footed into the top corner from 30 yards. Pjanic drove substitute Edin Visca's cut-back beneath the beleaguered Vanins in the 80th minute and, just a minute later, turned provider with a long ball that Dzeko ran on to and sidefooted home the fifth. The win was Bosnia's fifth in the group and left them top with 16 points from six games.