Soccer-Unimpressive Serbia beat Faroe Islands 2-0

By Zoran Milosavljevic

BELGRADE, Sept 6 (Reuters) - A Jon Roi Jacobsen own goal in the first half and a late Nikola Zigic header gave Serbia a 2-0 win over the Faroe Islands in their World Cup Group Seven qualifier on Saturday.

The Serbians gave their new coach Radomir Antic a winning start despite a lacklustre performance, with the goals coming after some naive defending by the Faroe part-timers. Jacobsen headed past his own keeper Jakup Mikkelsen in the 31st minute and Nikola Zigic was left unmarked to prod the ball home off the post from close range after an 88th-minute corner.

Serbia failed to carve out any clear chances between Jacobsen's blunder and Zigic's 12th international goal that silenced the home crowd's jeers on a hot and humid evening.

Serbia's next match is a much tougher test away to group favourites and 2006 runners-up France in Paris on Wednesday.

(Editing by Clare Fallon)