Ex-Dundee United and Hibs striker on target in World Cup qualifiers as SPFL players star on international stage

Henri Anier – once of Hibs, Motherwell and Inverness Caledonian Thistle – fired two goals as Estonia were defeated 4-2 by Belarus in the qualifying competitions for next year’s World Cup in Qatar.

His was the stand-out performance of SPFL-linked players, though several others past and present were involved.

Another former player, Tim Krul, was in goals as Frank de Boer’s Netherlands won 2-0 against Latvia, while Daryl Horgan was on the bench unused as Republic of Ireland went down 1-0 in a shock defeat to Luxembourg.

Celtic defender Shane Duffy was also an unused substitute for ex-Dunfermline manager Stephen Kenny but his team-mates Kristoffer Ajer and Mohamed Elyounoussi both started as Norway lost 3-0 to Turkey.

Turkey's forward Burak Yilmaz (L) heads the ball with Norway's defender Kristoffer Ajer during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualification football match between Norway and Turkey at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga on March 27, 2021. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO/AFP via Getty Images)

Rangers defender Borna Barisic completed 90 minutes of Croatia’s 1-0 win over Cyprus.

Fellow Rangers players Leon Balogun and Joe Aribo were also on the World Cup qualifying campaign, albeit a little further afield.

The Ibrox pair played 90 minutes for Nigeria in a 1-0 win over Benin.

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