Hamburg  - Germany defeated Liechtenstein 4-0 in World Cup qualifying on Saturday but group rivals Russia remained on their heels with a 2-0 over Azerbaijan.

Captain Michael Ballack, Marcell Jansen, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski were on target for the three-time world champions Germany in Leipzig.

In Moscow, Roman Pavlyuchenko scored and set up Konstantin Zyrianov for the other as Russia prevailed over Azerbaijan.

Leipzig, Germany  - Germany defeated minnows Liechtenstein 4-0 on Saturday with efficiency rather than class to maintain a four-point lead in their World Cup qualifying group.

Captain Michael Ballack opened the scoring in the fourth minute, his 40th personal goal and 200th for Germany in World Cup qualifying overall. Marcell Jansen, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski got the other goals.

Germany top Group 4 with 13 points from five games ahead of Russia, who have nine from four games. Only the group winner qualifies directly for the 2010 finals in South Africa.

Johannesburg  - World Cup hosts South Africa scored a morale-boosting 2-1 victory against under-strength Norway in an international football friendly on Saturday.

Substitute Siphiwe Tshabalala gave Bafana Bafana an injury-time winner in Rustenburg.

The game played as the annual Nelson Mandela Challenge, and marked the re-opening of the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, which has been upgraded for this year's Confederations Cup and next year's World Cup.

Hamburg  - Roman Pavlyuchenko was the man of the match as Russia defeated Azerbaijan 2-0 in 2010 World Cup qualifying on Saturday.

The Tottenham Hotspur striker opened the scoring in Moscow with a curling free-kick in the 32nd minute and fed Konstantin Zyrianov for the other in the 71st.

Russia improved to nine points from four games in qualifying Group 4, one point behind leaders Germany who were due to play minnows Liechtenstein later Saturday in Leipzig.

Johannesburg  - Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor gave Togo a perfect start to their final phase of 2010 World Cup qualifying by scoring the winner in a 1-0 against Cameroon on Saturday.

Although the group A game was Togo's home match it was switched to the Ghanaian capital of Accra as the stadium in Lome remains out of bounds after rioting occurred there two years ago.

Adebayor, whose inclusion in the starting line-up was only given the green light by Arsenal on Friday, scored in the 11th minute, to give the surprise 2006 World Cup finalist an early lead.