Depay is Netherlands' all-time top scorer with 52 goals, Germany gets first win in WCup qualifying | iNFOnews.ca
Dutch players celebrate their side's first goal scored by Memphis Depay, top, during the World Cup qualifying soccer match between Lithuania and Netherlands at Darius and Girenas stadium in Kaunas, Lithuania, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)

Depay is Netherlands’ all-time top scorer with 52 goals, Germany gets first win in WCup qualifying

MADRID (AP) — Memphis Depay became the Netherlands’ outright all-time top scorer with two goals in a 3-2 win at Lithuania in World Cup qualifying on Sunday.

Depay scored his 51st and 52nd goals for the Netherlands, surpassing the 50 scored by Robin van Persie, according to FIFA.

The 31-year-old Depay got the opening goal of the match in Kaunas in the 11th and the winner in the 63rd.

The Netherlands tops Group G with 10 points from four matches.

Poland defeated Finland 3-1 at home with Robert Lewandowski among the scorers for the hosts. Poland, which has played five games, also has 10 points. Third-placed Finland has seven points.

Spain routs Turkey

Mikel Merino scored a hat trick and Pedri added a brace as Spain routed Turkey 6-0 to lead Group E with six points from two matches.

“I’m proud of these players, of this national team, of how we are representing the country,” Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said. “This team keeps growing and growing, and I’m the first one to be surprised.”

Ferran Torres also scored for the defending European champions in the away victory.

Second-placed Georgia beat Bulgaria 3-0 and trails Spain by three points.

Spain will host Georgia next month.

Germany wins

Germany picked up its first win in Group A, thanks to second-half goals by Nadiem Amiri and Florian Wirtz in a 3-1 home win over Northern Ireland.

Germany, which had opened with a 2-0 loss at Slovakia, next hosts Luxembourg in Sinsheim on Oct. 10.

Also Sunday, Slovakia beat Luxembourg 1-0 to top the group with six points.

Belgium thrives

Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku scored a pair of goals each as Belgium cruised to a 6-0 win over Kazakhstan in Brussels to move to second place in Group J.

Belgium has 10 points from four matches, one point less than North Macedonia, which routed Liechtenstein 5-0 in Skopje and remains undefeated in the group after five games — three wins and two draws. North Macedonia’s opener came after Eljif Elmas brilliantly overcame five different challenges ahead of an own-goal by Liechtenstein goalkeeper Benjamin Buchel.

The 12 group winners from Europe automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup in North America. Another four teams will advance from a playoff of the group runners-up.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Depay is Netherlands' all-time top scorer with 52 goals, Germany gets first win in WCup qualifying | iNFOnews.ca
Spain players celebrate the opening goal scoring by Pedri during a World Cup qualifying round Group E soccer match between Turkey and Spain at Konya Buyuksehir stadium, in Konya, Turkey, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Depay is Netherlands' all-time top scorer with 52 goals, Germany gets first win in WCup qualifying | iNFOnews.ca
Dutch players celebrate their side’s first goal scored by Memphis Depay, top, during the World Cup qualifying soccer match between Lithuania and Netherlands at Darius and Girenas stadium in Kaunas, Lithuania, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
Depay is Netherlands' all-time top scorer with 52 goals, Germany gets first win in WCup qualifying | iNFOnews.ca
Northern Ireland’s Conor Bradley, left, and Germany’s David Raum reach for a header during the FIFA World Cup Group A qualifying soccer match between Germany and Northern Ireland at RheinEnergieStadion stadium in Cologne, Germany, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025 (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Depay is Netherlands' all-time top scorer with 52 goals, Germany gets first win in WCup qualifying | iNFOnews.ca
Poland’s Robert Lewandowski celebrates during the World Cup Group G qualifying match between Poland and Finland at the at Silesian Stadium in Chorzow, Poland, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

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