by Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Austria's evergreen forward Marko Arnautovic sent his country into rapture on Thursday, scoring four goals in a record-breaking 10-0 victory over San Marino in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
The 36-year-old Red Star Belgrade striker became Austria's all-time leading scorer, surpassing Toni Polster's long-standing record of 44 goals. His latest haul took his tally to 45 goals in 128 international appearances.
The lopsided win marked Austria's first-ever double-digit victory and their biggest margin since a 9-0 triumph over Malta in 1997. It also represented another milestone for the veteran, who netted his debut goals 15 years ago in a 3-0 win over Azerbaijan in October 2010.
Witnessed by his family, Arnautovic described the moment as deeply moving. "I feel overwhelmed to experience emotional moments like this after that many years in football," he said.
Under German coach Ralf Rangnick, Austria lead Group H with 15 points and a goal difference of 19-2 after five matches. With three fixtures remaining, they appear on course for a ninth World Cup appearance.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, second in the group, dropped points after a 2-2 draw with Cyprus, leaving them on 13 points.
In Group L, favorites the Czech Republic and Croatia played out a goalless draw, keeping both sides level on 13 points in a tense qualification race. The Faroe Islands remain an outsider contender after a 4-0 win over Montenegro, taking them to nine points.
Denmark maintained their lead in Group C with seven points and a 9-0 goal difference after a 3-1 victory over Greece. Napoli striker Rasmus Hojlund and San Diego FC's Anders Dreyer each scored twice for the Danes, who sit narrowly ahead of Scotland (seven points, 5-1 goals).
In Group G, the Netherlands consolidated their top spot with a 4-0 win over Malta, improving to 13 points with an 18-3 goal record. Poland and Finland both trail on 10 points, with Finland edging Lithuania 2-1 to stay in contention.
Corinthians forward Memphis Depay, formerly of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, scored his 53rd international goal - a new record for the Netherlands - in his 105th appearance. ■