Eriksen scores twice as Danes down Kazakhstan

LONDON (Reuters) - Denmark playmaker Christian Eriksen scored twice to extinguish the challenge of a tough but limited Kazakhstan side and put his side on the road to a 4-1 victory in Copenhagen in their World Cup Group E qualifier.

Striker Andreas Cornelius put the home side ahead after 15 minutes but the Kazakhs struck back two minutes later through defender Gafurzhan Suyumbayev, who fired home a swerving long-distance shot.

Cornelius was at the heart of the action again as he was dragged down in the box nine minutes before halftime and Eriksen converted the resulting spot kick.

A goal from defender Peter Ankersen and a second from Eriksen put the game out of reach in the second half.

The result puts Denmark third in the table on six points, four behind leaders Poland and one behind second-placed Montenegro, while Kazakhstan are bottom on two points.

(Reporting by Philip O'Connor; Editing by Ian Chadband)