PARIS — Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored both goals as Sweden beat the Faroe Islands 2-0 to earn three crucial points in its quest to qualify for the 2014 World Cup Tuesday, but its Scandinavian neighbor Denmark suffered a crushing 4-0 home defeat to Armenia. Paris Saint-Germain striker Ibrahimovic stabbed home the opener from close range 10 minutes before the interval at the Friends Arena in the Stockholm suburb of Solna, and then added a penalty eight minutes from time. Sweden was comfortable winner despite the sending-off of Andreas Granqvist toward the end, and Erik Hamren's side climbs back into third place in qualifying Group C. With 11 points from six games, the Swedes are five points behind leader Germany but level on points with second-placed Austria and the Republic of Ireland in fourth. Its next game is in Ireland in September. Meanwhile, Denmark's chances of qualifying for a third consecutive major tournament finals received a hammer blow as it went down 4-0 to Armenia in Copenhagen. The forward Yura Movsisyan, who once had a spell in the Danish league but now plays for Spartak Moscow, scored twice for the former Soviet republic with Aris Ozbiliz and Shakhtar Donetsk star Henrikh Mkhitaryan also on target. The scoreline equaled Armenia's biggest ever victory, while for Denmark it was a heaviest defeat in a competitive match since going down 5-1 to Spain at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. Its chances of reaching the 2014 Finals now appear slim. With four games remaining in Group B, Morten Olsen's team is eight points behind leader Italy and four adrift of Bulgaria in second. Armenia, meanwhile, moves level on points with the Danes with the two teams due to meet again in September. Elsewhere, in Group I, Finland's chances of finishing second received a blow as it only managed a 1-1 draw in Belarus, a result that leaves the Finns four points behind France. Kenya holds Malawi Malawi was held 2-2 by Kenya in a World Cup qualifier Wednesday, opening the door for Nigeria to win Group F. Nigeria has a one-point lead over Malawi and victory in a late Wednesday fixture away to Namibia will give it an unassailable four-point advantage. — Agencies
