Vincent is delighted at making it 2-0 to the hosts. Pix: GettyBRUSSELS: A sensational Vincent Kompany strike helped Belgium to a 2-0 win over Scotland this morning which confirmed top spot in Group A of European World Cup qualifiers, Reuters reported.

Manchester City and Belgium captain Kompany’s pearler formed the second part of a two-minute blitz by the hosts which was started by Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke when he headed in the 69th minute.

Belgium were on top right from the off at King Baudouin Stadium with striker Dries Mertens drawing three saves in the first two minutes from goalkeeper Allan McGregor.

Besiktas goalkeeper  McGregor was the only reason his side were not put to the sword by half time as he made five telling saves in the first 11 minutes from Belgium’s relentless attacks.

After Mertens’s efforts, Nacer Chadli was the next to be denied in a one-on-one situation and the half continued in a similar vein until Belgium’s dominance was punctuated by set-pieces from Shaun Maloney and Kris Commons. Their strikes from over 30 meters out drew diving saves from Thibaut Courtois in Belgium’s goal.

That was as good as it got for the under pressure Levein, whose side are yet to win a match in the group.

Belgium dominated again in the second half, but it took the introduction of Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard to get them on the scoresheet.

Hazard replaced Moussa Dembele and was full of running and ideas. It was his cross which led to Benteke’s headed goal from five meters and the game was effectively over when Kompany turned the Scots’ defence inside-out before firing a powerful shot into the roof of McGregor’s goal.

Belgium are now well-placed in their quest to secure a spot at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, and if they do it will be their first appearance at the finals since 2002.

Scotland’s hopes hang by a thread as they are bottom on two points from four games  and Levein is now under huge pressure.

In another Group A matcb Mario Mandzukic and Eduardo scored to lift Croatia to a comfortable 2-0 home victory over Wales in Osijek.

The Croatians now have 10 points from four matches, leaving them confident of finishing in one of the top two spots.

"We completely realised the goals we set ourselves, with 10 points from four games." Croatia manager Igor Stimac told Croatian television.

In another match, Serbia's hopes of reaching their second successive World Cup as an independent nation from this group took a serious blow after they slipped to a 1-0 defeat at southern neighbours Macedonia after a lacklustre performance in Skopje.

- mD

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