SCOTLAND'S Group D rivals Poland and Germany racked up the goals on Saturday.
Robert Lewandowski hit a dramatic late hat-trick as Group D leaders Poland beat Georgia 4-0 in their Euro 2016 qualifier in Warsaw.
Lewandowski struck in the 89th minute and then twice in injury time at the Narodowy Stadium.
Arkadiusz Milik opened the scoring just after the hour when he finally beat superb Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Loria with a long-range shot.
Andre Schurrle completed a hat-trick as Germany found their shooting boots in the second half to run out 7-0 winners over Gibraltar in the Algarve.
Schurrle claimed the only goal of the first half after Bastian Schweinsteiger had an early penalty saved by Jordan Perez.
As Gibraltar tired after the break, Schurrle grabbed two more, Max Kruse hit a double and Ilkay Gundogan and Karim Bellarabi also netted.
Michael O'Neill hailed the heroics of Hamilton Accies goalkeeper Michael McGovern as Northern Ireland secured a tense goalless draw with Group F front-runners Romania.
The result kept the home nation - bidding to reach their first major finals since the 186 World Cup - in second place on 13 points - two ahead of Hungary and seven clear of the fourth-placed Faroe Islands.
A play-off place now seems to be the least manager O'Neill can expect but September offers the chance to lock down automatic qualification.
A trip to the Faroes comes first, followed by a Windsor Park date against Hungary.
"I always felt the two games in September were crunch games and that's going to be the case now," said O'Neill.
Visiting goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu repelled efforts from Jonny Evans, Kyle Lafferty and Oliver Norwood to preserve the stalemate at Windsor Park and McGovern was equally secure for the home side, after number one Roy Carroll was ruled out with abdominal pain.
"I didn't have any concerns about Michael," said O'Neill. "If you asked most managers in Scotland I think most of them would name Michael as one of the top two or three keepers in the division.
"He dealt with everything he had to and I was delighted for him to acquit himself so well in a big game like this."
Elsewhere in the group, an 82nd-minute goal from Zoltan Stieber gave Hungary a 1-0 win over Finland in Helsinki.
At the bottom end of Group F, Greece's dismal campaign continued as they crashed to a second shock loss to the Faroe Islands, 2-1.
Denmark kept themselves within touching distance of Portugal at the top of Group I with a 2-0 win over Serbia.
An early goal from Yussuf Poulsen and a late strike from substitute Jakob Poulsen proved decisive in Copenhagen.
Captain Daniel Agger had a penalty saved in the first half.
World player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo scored yet another hat-trick as 10-man Portugal survived a scare against Armenia in Yerevan.
Portugal edged the Group I contest 3-2 after Tiago's sending off just after the hour and a Hrayr Mkoyan goal after 72 minutes set up a nervy finish.
Armenia had taken a surprise lead with a brilliant 30-yard free-kick from Marcos Pizzelli but Portugal levelled with a Ronaldo penalty and two more in quick succession from the Real Madrid star put them in charge.
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