GENEVA -- European Championship finalists Portugal and France came down from their summer highs with tame starts to World Cup qualifying on Tuesday.Without Cristiano Ronaldo again, still recovering from his Euro 2016 final injury, newly crowned Portugal slumped to a 2-0 loss away to Switzerland.France failed to score in 120 minutes against Portugal in Paris, and two months later got only a 0-0 draw at unheralded Belarus.Also in Frances group, the post-Zlatan Ibrahimovic era began for Sweden with a 1-1 draw at home to the Netherlands.Heavily favored to win Group H, No. 2-ranked Belgium began with a routine 3-0 win at Cyprus as it seeks to repair a recent reputation as tournament underachievers.After Icelands popular run to the Euro 2016 quarterfinals, the search for the next Cinderella story could lead to Luxembourg.The tiny principality team lost 4-3 at Bulgaria after leading in the second half and levelling in stoppage time. Bulgaria, the 1994 World Cup semifinalist, scored the decisive goal in the second minute of time added on.---GROUP AWhile European Championship runner-up France was held to a frustrating 0-0 draw at Belarus, the Netherlands and Sweden did find the target as they began their rebuilding process with a 1-1 draw.As little-known Belarus goalkeeper Andrei Gorbunov caught the eye with some fine second-half saves, the goals flew in elsewhere in a thrilling match that saw Bulgaria squeeze past Luxembourg 4-3.Gorbunov denied Euro 2016 top scorer Antoine Griezmann three times and made another key save from left back Layvin Kurzawa. France forward Olivier Giroud dragged a shot wide when sent through by Griezmanns backheel and also headed against the crossbar.Swedens 62-goal record scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic is no longer around, having retired after a dismal Euro 2016 campaign.Still, Marcus Berg scored a Zlatan-esque goal with a chip from just inside the penalty area shortly before halftime. Veteran Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder leveled midway through the second half for a once-proud team side that is low on confidence after failing to qualify for Euro 2016.Bulgaria led 1-0 early on, trailed 2-1 just after the hour mark and led 3-2 before a dramatic finale saw defender Florian Bohnert level for Luxembourg in the first minute of injury time.Cruelly for the visitors, midfielder Aleksandar Tonevs goal a minute later sent Bulgaria top of the group ahead of its trip to Paris next month.---GROUP BEuropean champion Portugal had to leave Cristiano Ronaldo out of its squad to face Switzerland and was deservedly beaten 2-0 in Basel.A Swiss team which mostly lacked spark in France fired into life with two goals in the first half hour.Breel Embolo reacted fastest in the 23rd minute to head low past Rui Patricios dive after the goalkeeper parried a Ricardo Rodriguez free kick. Admir Mehmedi finished a fast break in the 30th with a curling shot into the top-right corner of the Portugal goal.Portugal struck a post in the 82nd from Nanis slow, bouncing header.Switzerland will have Granit Xhaka suspended for the trip to Hungary next month after the midfielder was sent off in stoppage time. His second yellow card was for a reckless tackle through the back of Joao Marios legs.Hungary was lucky to get a 0-0 draw with the Faeroe Islands on a windswept evening in the north Atlantic, and Latvia won 1-0 at Andorra.---GROUP HWatched by Thierry Henry, Belgiums new strikers coach, Romelu Lukaku scored a goal in each half in a 3-0 win at Cyprus.Lukaku headed home the opener in the 13th minute after Cyprus goalkeeper Konstantinos Panagi had parried a low shot from Thomas Meunier, and struck again in the 61st.Yannick Carrasco rounded off the scoring for coach Roberto Martinezs team in the 81st, before substitute Michy Batshuayi had a penalty kick saved by Panagi.Bosnia-Herzegovina routed Estonia 5-0 as it seeks to qualify for a second consecutive World Cup.Veteran defender Emir Spahic scored with an early close-range header, and captain Edin Dzeko converted from the penalty spot after he was fouled by Estonia captain Ragnar Klavan.Bosnia added late goals from Haris Medunjanin, Vedad Ibisevic and Spahic again.Gibraltar scored on its World Cup debut though lost 4-1 to Greece, the 2004 European champion which has dropped in the rankings.Playing the `home game in Faro, Portugal, while its own stadium is being built, Gibraltar leveled Greeces 10th-minute opener with a curling shot by Liam Walker in the 26th.Greece then added three more goals between the 44th minute and the halftime whistle. 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WASHINGTON -- Sure, the Washington Nationals would love to lock up home-field advantage in the NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. What Dusty Baker is more concerned about is getting ready for the playoffs, and that includes having pitcher Joe Ross ready to go, whether thats as a starter or reliever.Working his way back from the disabled list, Ross stretched himself out to 90 pitches, although that only carried him through four innings on a dreary Thursday in a near-empty stadium, and the NL East champion Nationals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-3, helped by Wilmer Difos first major league homer and Pedro Severinos second.If it was up to me, I would have kept pitching. Same with last game, I would have kept going, said Ross, who allowed one run and three hits in his third appearance since coming off the DL. But obviously we have to make a steady progression to build me up for the playoffs, hopefully. So I guess thats where were at. I just prolonged each at-bat more than I would have liked, which led to the early exit.His manager, Baker, sounded a more positive note.Ross was good, Baker said. Very good.Its not yet clear what role Ross will have in the postseason. He could start Game 3 or Game 4 against the Dodgers. Or he could be used only in relief. Baker mentioned the possibility that the righty could be needed in long relief in Game 1 or Game 2 against the NL West champions.Were just kind of playing it by ear, Baker said.Ross said pitching in Thursdays occasional rain didnt make things easy. Nor did the games opening at-bat, in which he was forced to throw 12 pitches before eventually walking Jean Segura.With a long layoff until the Oct. 7 series opener against LA, Ross will throw bullpen sessions and wait to find out his what his job will be.Im hoping I get the opportunity to start, Ross said, but thats up to (the Nationals), obviously.dddddddddddd.Second baseman Difo and catcher Severino, both rookies, were in the lineup Thursday instead of Daniel Murphy (last started 12 days ago) and Wilson Ramos (out for the season), respectively.Last in the NL West, Arizona has nothing at stake the rest of the way. The Nationals, meanwhile, cut their magic number for earning the higher seeding against Los Angeles to two.Reliever Reynaldo Lopez (5-3) was credited with the win. He pitched 3 2/3 innings, letting up Socrates Britos two-run homer in the ninth before being lifted.Mark Melancon got the last two outs for his 45th save.Robbie Ray (8-15) allowed five runs in 4 2/3 innings, including solo shots by Severino in the third and Difo in the fifth, along with Michael A. Taylors two-run single in the fourth.TRAINERS ROOMDiamondbacks: Segura left in the seventh because of cramps. ... RF Yasmany Tomas was a late scratch from the starting lineup because of a stiff neck he got from sleeping awkwardly on a hotel pillow.Nationals: 2B Murphy (glute muscle) and RF Bryce Harper (left thumb) sat out again. Manager Dusty Baker said he expects to get Murphy back in the starting lineup for Game 1 of the NLDS. Murphy last began a game on Sept. 17. Harper, meanwhile, was out of the lineup for a fourth consecutive day, but mainly as a precaution.UP NEXTDiamondbacks: Open a three-game series against visiting San Diego. The Diamondbacks and Padres are two of the four worst teams in the NL.Nationals: Their final regular-season series begins Friday against visiting Miami. RHP A.J. Cole (1-2, 5.09) is slated to pitch for Washington, but he is waiting to hear the outcome of his appeal of a five-game suspension for throwing at a batter. ' ' '