Finland’s Teemu Pukki scored 11 minutes from time to grab a 1-1 draw in Spain that complicated life for the world and European champions in World Cup qualifying Group I last night.
Pukki fired past Victor Valdes on a rare counter-attack after they had withstood waves of pressure from the hosts.
Sergio Ramos, winning his 100th cap for Spain, broke the deadlock with a header from a corner just after half-time but Vicente del Bosque’s side struggled to make their dominance count.
The draw leaves Spain under pressure to get a victory in Paris next Tuesday when they visit their closest group rivals France for whom Mathieu Valbuena scored a goal and created two others to help the side defeat Georgia 3-1 at Stade de France.
France climbed to the top of the group with 10 points from four games, two ahead of Spain.
England demolished a woefully weak San Marino side 8-0 as they polished their shooting boots for next week’s clash with main group rivals Montenegro.
An own goal by San Marino’s Alessandro Della Valle after 12 minutes paved the way for Roy Hodgson’s side to boost their Group H goal tally with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jermain Defoe, Ashley Young and Frank Lampard all scoring before half-time.
San Marino, who had lost their last 50 matches, suffered further punishment after the break with Wayne Rooney bagging his 34th international goal and Daniel Sturridge his first.
In what resembled a training ground routine rather than a competitive sporting occasion, Defoe flicked in his second as England racked up eight for the first time since their 1987 thrashing of Turkey.
The hosts were spared a double-figures defeat but did nothing to counter the argument that they should have to enter a pre-qualifying tournament – managing only one half-hearted attempt at goal.
Netherlands scored three second-half goals to brush Estonia aside 3-0 but lost playmaker Wesley Sneijder to injury.
In a lacklustre first half, the Dutch lacked the necessary urgency to create an opening but a minute after the break Sneijder’s replacement, Rafael van der Vaart, netted following good work from Daryl Janmaat.
Janmaat picked up his second assist 19 minutes before time when Robin van Persie scored from close range to double the lead and Ruben Schaken fired home the third after 83 minutes.
Croats prevail
Croatia proved too strong for bitter Balkan rivals Serbia in a Group A qualifier in Zagreb, winning their first meeting as independent nations 2-0.
In other action Germany triumphed 3-0 in Kazakhstan to stay top of Group C while Portugal picked up a precious away point after fighting back from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 with Israel in Tel Aviv.
Israel and Portugal are four points behind leaders Russia whose match against Northern Ireland was postponed until today following heavy snow in Belfast.
In Zagreb, Croatia’s veteran striker Ivica Olic scored one goal and set up another to sink Serbia in an intense and passionate derby match.
Mario Mandzukic fired Croatia ahead midway through the first half when Olic capitalised on a mistake by Aleksandar Kolarov and squared the ball to his strike partner who prodded it home past two defenders from close range.
The 33-year-old Olic doubled the home team’s advantage in the 37th minute, chesting the ball in from five metres from a teasing Darijo Srna free-kick after Kolarov was booked for a rash tackle on Mandzukic.
The match was played under tight security amid fears of crowd trouble but apart from sporadic abuse from home supporters directed at Serbia’s players, it was incident-free after both federations agreed not to take away fans to either fixture.
The two sides, meeting for the first time as independent countries following the violent break-up of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, play each other again, this time in Belgrade on September 6.
Germany, playing without a recognised striker for the first time in a competitive match under coach Joachim Loew, eased past lowly Group C rivals Kazakhstan in Astana.
Two goals in three minutes midway through the first half from midfielders Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mario Goetze, playing in a forward role, put the Germans in control.
Thomas Mueller grabbed the third in the 74th minute of a lacklustre second half.