Records fall as Bosnia put eight past Liechtenstein

Edin Džeko, Zvjezdan Misimović and Vedad Ibišević were among the goals as Bosnia and Herzegovina made a dream start to 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying in Vaduz.

Liechtenstein started well, keeping the visitors at bay until Misimović broke the deadlock midway through the first half – by the interval they trailed 4-0. There was no let-up after the restart as Džeko struck within seconds and though substitute Mathias Christen did reply, it was scant consolation as Bosnia wrapped up an 8-1 win.

That represents their biggest ever margin of victory, matching a 7-0 triumph over Estonia four years ago. Misimović broke the deadlock then, too, and his second tonight took him past Elvir Bolić to a national record haul of 23. Then it was Ibišević's turn, a pair of headers leaving the hosts stunned as they went into the break.

It got worse immediately after the restart as Džeko got in on the act after effortlessly turning his marker, and Christen's reply was soon forgotten when Džeko headed in No6. That moved the Manchester City FC man ahead of Misimović on the all-time scorers' list and he moved on to 25 nine minutes from time.

Ibišević, too, kicked off Group G with a hat-trick, walking the ball over the line – it was like that all night for Safet Sušić's men. Tuesday's opponents Latvia may prove more of a test; Liechtenstein travel to Slovakia.