PARIS, Nov 15 (AFP): World champions Germany laboured to a 4-0 win over Gibraltar in Euro 2016 qualifying Friday as Cristiano Ronaldo became the tournament's all-time leading scorer and Scotland edged Ireland 1-0 in a blood and thunder clash.
Elsewhere, 2004 champions Greece were humiliated 1-0 by the part-timers of the Faroe Islands to pile the pressure on home coach Claudio Ranieri whose team have now lost their last four home games.
In Nuremburg, Thomas Mueller scored twice with Mario Goetze adding a third for Germany before Gibraltar defender Yogan Santos put through his own goal.
The win lifted Joachim Loew's World Cup winners into third spot in Group D but the anticipated goal bonanza against a side who had conceded 17 goals in their first three games failed to materialise.
Germany missed the chance to finish 2014 second in the table and their unconvincing display drew some boos and jeers at the final whistle.
"We would have liked a better result, but it's not easy when a team stands as deep as Gibraltar did," said Goetze.
"We could have created more goals and played more convincingly, which we have to put our hands up to."
Poland have a three-point lead over Ireland, Germany and Scotland as they maintained their undefeated start with a convincing 4-0 over Georgia in Tbilisi.
After hitting the woodwork twice in the opening half, Poland breezed home after the break with goals from Kamil Glik, Grzegorz Krychowiak, Sebastian Mila and Arkadiusz Milik.
In Glasgow, Scotland boosted their qualification chances as Shaun Maloney's superb strike in the second-half handed them a 1-0 win over the Republic of Ireland.
It was Scotland's first competitive goal against the Republic of Ireland since 1961. "I am a proud man tonight. That was an epic duel. We knew what was going to happen and we dealt with that. It was hard, we kept trying to play," said Scotland manager Gordon Strachan.
