Second-half goals from Sergei Kornilenko and Anton Putilo gave Belarus a 2-0 win over Luxembourg in a qualifying match for the 2012 European Championship on Tuesday.
Kornilenko came on as a second-half substitute before converting a penalty kick in the 48th minute, and Putilo doubled the hosts' lead in the 73rd, scoring from 10 meters (yards) over goalkeeper Jonathan Jouber.
The victory left Belarus in second place in Group D with 12 points from seven games, one point behind leader France, which has played six games.
Belarus dominated the game but missed numerous chances to inflict a heavier defeat.
Striker Andrei Voronkov missed Igor Shitov's cross from the right with an empty net at his mercy in the 13th minute. Three minutes later, he burst through to go one-on-one with the goalkeeper but lost control of the ball.
The visitors replied with rare counterattacks and never came close.
Kevin Mapget fouled Timofei Kalachev in the box in the 47th minute and Kornilenko, who came in for Voronkov, hit the target with a low shot from the spot.
Kornilenko then missed from close range six minutes later.
Belarus continued to dominate and Maksim Bardachev wasted a clear chance for the home side in the 59th minute when he skipped past the goalkeeper, jinked to the right but lingered too long before getting a shot away. His weak effort was parried by Jouber and cleared off the line by Malget.
Kornilenko set up the second goal, breaking into the box and crossing to Putilo from the right.
The visitors almost scored a consolation goal in the added time, but Eric Hoffman saw his shot glance off the left post.
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Lineups:
Belarus: Yuri Zhevnov, Aleksandr Kulchiy (Sergei Kislyak, 87), Timofei Kalachev, Vitali Trubilo, Yan Tigorev (Vyacheslav Hleb, 62), Sergei Omelyanchuk, Andrei Voronkov (Sergei Kornilenko, 46), Anton Putilo, Maksim Bardachev, Dmitri Verkhovtsov, Igor Shitov.
Luxembourg: Jonathan Joubert, Massimo Martino, Guy Blaise, Eric Hoffmann, Tom Schnell, Rene Peters, Charles Leweck (Dan Collette, 84), Daniel Da Mota (Tom Laterza, 77), Ben Payal, Kevin Malget (Joel Kitenge, 61), Lars Gerson.
