(MENAFN- Arab News) YEREVAN: Portugal moved five points clear at the top of European Championship qualifying Group I on Saturday after Cristiano Ronaldo's third successive hat trick secured a crucial 3-2 win in Armenia.
The Portuguese who played the last 30 minutes down to 10 men were given a real scare by an Armenian side who had picked up just a single point in their first four group games.
In Warsaw Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski scored a hat trick in the space of four minutes late in the game as Poland beat Georgia 4-0.
Poland who lead qualifying Group D were in front in Warsaw thanks to a 62nd-minute strike by Arkadiusz Milik before captain Lewandowski doubled their lead in the 89th minute.
He then added another in the 92nd minute and completed a remarkable treble in the third minute of stoppage time to put the seal on a handsome win.
It is believed to be the second fastest hat trick in the history of European Championship qualifying bettered only by Arif Erdem who scored three in three minutes for Turkey against Northern Ireland in the qualifying campaign for Euro 2000.
In Dublin Shaun Maloney was the Republic of Ireland's nemesis once more as Scotland delivered a massive blow to their hosts' Euro 2016 qualification hopes with a 1-1 draw at Lansdowne Road on Saturday.
The Chicago Fire midfielder's second-half strike took a massive deflection off Ireland skipper John O'Shea to cancel out Jon Walters' first-half goal and the result leaves Ireland five points behind Group D leaders Poland in fourth place.
However the point will be welcomed by Gordon Strachan's men who knew avoiding defeat would make Ireland's task of going to France next summer incredibly difficult.
Neither manager gave much away in the build-up to this game keeping their selection cards close to their chest and it became clear why when the teams were announced.
For Ireland nothing less than victory would do and the inclusion of Jeff Hendrick Walters and Daryl Murphy in the starting line-up was unexpected.
In Paris Euro 2016 hosts France suffered their third defeat in four games when they were surprisingly beaten 1-0 away to Albania in a friendly international on Saturday.
After defeats by Brazil and Belgium either side of beating Denmark Didier Deschamps' side produced an unconvincing display and despite dominating possession they lacked a cutting edge.
Lively Albania had already had two good chances through Ermir Lenjani before Ergys Kace curled a superb free kick past France goalie Hugo Lloris into the top corner in the 43rd minute.
In baking heat the home side continued to be the more threatening after the interval.
France's best effort came from Mathieu Valbuena whose fierce free kick was parried away by Etrit Berisha.