Otto Rehhagel's defending European champions produced an assured display at the Pankritio stadium in Crete as first-half strikes from Fanis Gekas and Giourkas Seitaridis.

Gekas opened the scoring in 16th minute after latching on to an Ioannis Amanatidis cross and swivelling impressively to score with a low shot into the right corner.

Rehhagel's side continued to attack and a minute before the half-hour mark right-back Seitaridis showed why he is considered one of Europe's finest full-backs.

The Atletico Madrid man surged past Zoltan Gera into the penalty area and fired a powerful, low shot past Zoltan Vegh to double Greece's lead.

The Greeks move on to 15 points and hold a two-point lead after Turkey lost 3-2 to Bosnia-Herzegovina in Sarajevo, who kept their qualification hopes alive thanks to a dramatic late goal from Adnan Custovic.

The substitute striker had been on the pitch little more than eight minutes when he headed the decisive strike in the 90th minute, meeting Mirko Hrgovic's right-wing cross from six yards.

Fatih Terim'sTurkey side had earlier twice taken the lead.

Captain Hakan Sukur (13) despatched Arda Turan's dangerous inswinger in typically clinical fashion with a header into the top-right corner.

The lead lasted just 14 minutes when Zlatan Muslimovic levelled matters after receiving Zvjezdan Misimovic's pass from the left channel before firing past Rustu Recber.

It was not long before the visitors were celebrating for a second time, however, with Sabri Sarioglu restoring the advantage six minutes before half-time.

Turan found his team-mate down the right flank and he made no mistake, curling a left-footed shot inside Adnan Guso's far post.

But again Fuad Muzurovic's team demonstrated their resilience, Edin Dzeko latching on to Vedin Music's long ball deep before rifling in a shot from the edge of the area.

Norway ensured they remain in the qualification hunt and are level on 10 points with Bosnia following their 4-0 thrashing on Malta in Oslo.

The home side made the breakthrough after half an hour when Bjorn Helge Riise's cross was headed home by Kristofer Haestad before

Riise was again the supplier, this time Thorstein Helstad (73) got the decisive touch.

Riise completed a hat-trick of assists in the 79th minute when he set up Steffen Iversen to score from inside the penalty area.

Steffen Iversen finished it off.

John Arne Riise then scored the pick of the goals with a spectacular strike from 35 yards in the 90th minute to cap a comprehensive win.