World champions Spain and Italy secured their place in next year’s European Championships after recording contrasting victories yesterday.
In Logrono, the reigning world and European champions Spain brushed aside Liechtenstein 6-0 in a one-sided match that was all but sealed after the opening 45 minutes.
In fact, Vicente Del Bosque’s side were already 3-0 up at the interval following quick-fire goals from Alvaro Negredo (34, 37) and Xavi Hernandez (44).
Second-half goals from Sergio Ramos (52) and David Villa (60, 79) wrapped up a convincing victory that lifted Spain to an unassailable eight-point lead over second-placed Czech Republic.
Substitute Giampaolo Pazzini scored a late goal to lift the gloom around the Stadio Artemio Franchi and send Italy to the Euro Championships next year with a 1-0 win over Slovenia.
Until that moment the Azzurri looked to be heading for a frustrating night and the need for another point to secure their path to Poland and Ukraine.
But a defensive mix-up between Marko Suler and Bostjan Cesar left Pazzini free to smash home.
They now have an unassailable lead atop qualifying Group C despite Serbia’s win over the Faroe Islands.
Coach Cesare Prandelli put the victory down to courage.
“It was the victory of courage. We dominated in midfield but couldn’t break through and that’s why I went to three forwards (in the second half),” he told RAI TV.
“It was difficult to find intensity, they kept things very tight but all we needed was a goal to create more space and you saw that after we scored.”
England took a giant stride towards qualification for Euro 2012 after an Ashley Young goal handed them a 1-0 win over Wales to leave them six points clear at the top of Group G.
Manchester United star Young rifled in a low cross from Stewart Downing on 35 minutes to secure all three points for England, who now need only a point from their final match against Montenegro next month to clinch the group.
Wales squandered a golden opportunity to secure what would have been a scarcely-deserved point when substitute Robert Earnshaw missed an open goal from five yards out 15 minutes from time.
Earnshaw’s miss left Wales manager Gary Speed burying his head in his hands but the visiting coach could have few complaints with his team’s defeat after they failed to seriously test England.
France extended their unbeaten run to 13 games but struggled to a 0-0 draw against Romania in a match spoiled by the appalling state of the pitch at the National Arena.
The official unveiling of the 55,000-seat venue attracted a sell-out crowd but there was little for the fans to get excited about with chances at a premium.
World Cup finalists Holland moved to within a point of qualification after they recorded their eighth success in eight qualifiers with a 2-0 win over Finland.
The visitors broke the deadlock in the 29th minute as playmaker Wesley Sneijder set up defensive midfielder Kevin Strootman, who provided a clinical finish.
The Dutch sealed the win when striker Luuk de Jong scored in the third minute of time added on to take their total haul of goals to 34 in the qualifiers.
Group A
Austria 0
Turkey 0
Azerbaijan 3
Aliyev 53; Shukurov 62 pen; Dzavadov 68;
Kazakhstan 2
Ostapenko 20; Evstigneev 78;
October 7
Azerbaijan vs Austria; Turkey vs Germany; Belgium vs Kazakhstan.
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Germany | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 5 | 24 |
| Turkey | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 8 | 14 |
| Belgium | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 11 | 12 |
| Austria | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 8 |
| Azerbaijan | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 21 | 7 |
| Kazakhstan | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 20 | 3 |
Group B
Slovakia 0
Armenia 4
Movsisyan 57; Mkhitaryan 70; Ghazaryan 80; Sarkisov 90;
Macedonia 1
Ivanovsky 59;
Andorra 0
Russia 0
Ireland 0
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Russia | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 17 |
| Ireland | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 15 |
| Armenia | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 17 | 7 | 14 |
| Slovakia | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 14 |
| Macedonia | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 7 |
| Andorra | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 17 | 0 |
Group C
Italy 1
Pazzini 85;
Slovenia 0
Serbia 3
Jovanovic 6; Tosic 23; Kuzmanovic 69;
F. Islands 1
Benjaminsen 37;
Estonia 4
Vunk 28; Kink 32; Zenjov 59; Saag 90;
N. Ireland 1
Piiroja 39 og;
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Italy | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 22 |
| Serbia | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 10 | 14 |
| Estonia | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
| Slovenia | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 7 | 11 |
| N. Ireland | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| F. Islands | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 26 | 4 |
Group D
Romania 0
France 0
Bosnia 1
Misimovic 87;
Belarus 0
Luxembourg 2
Bettner 27; Joachim 78;
Albania 1
Bogdani 64;
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| France | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 17 |
| Bosnia | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 16 |
| Romania | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 12 |
| Belarus | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 12 |
| Albania | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 8 |
| Luxembourg | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 16 | 4 |
Group E
Finland 0
Netherlands 2
Strootman 29; L. De Jong 90;
Moldova 0
Hungary 2
Vanczak 7; Rudolf 83;
San Marino 0
Sweden 5
Kallstrom 64; Wilhelmsson 70, 90; Olsson 81; Hysen 89;
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Netherlands | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 5 | 24 |
| Sweden | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 26 | 8 | 18 |
| Hungary | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 14 | 18 |
| Finland | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 14 | 9 |
| Moldova | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 15 | 6 |
| San Marino | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 49 | 0 |
Group F
Croatia 3
Modric 47; Eduardo 55, 57;
Israel 1
Hemad 44;
Latvia 1
Cauna 20;
Greece 1
Papadopoulos 84;
Malta 1
Mifsud 25;
Georgia 1
Kankava 15;
October 7
Latvia vs Malta; Greece vs Croatia.
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Croatia | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 5 | 19 |
| Greece | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 18 |
| Israel | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 11 | 13 |
| Georgia | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 10 |
| Latvia | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 8 |
| Malta | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 17 | 1 |
Group G
England 1
Young 35;
Wales 0
Switzerland 3
Shaqiri 45, 64, 90;
Bulgaria 1
Ivanov 9;
October 7
Wales vs Switzerland; Montenegro vs England.
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| England | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 17 |
| Montenegro | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 11 |
| Switzerland | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Bulgaria | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 5 |
| Wales | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 3 |
Group H
Iceland 1
Sigthorsson 5;
Cyprus 0
Denmark 2
Bendtner 24, 44;
Norway 0
October 7
Cyprus vs Denmark; Portugal vs Iceland.
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Portugal | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 7 | 13 |
| Denmark | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 13 |
| Norway | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 13 |
| Iceland | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 4 |
| Cyprus | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 2 |
Group I
Spain 6
Negredo 34, 37; Xavi 44; Ramos 52; Villa 60, 79;
Liechtenstein 0
Scotland 1
Naismith 50;
Lithuania 0
October 7
Czech Republic vs Spain.
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Spain | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 5 | 18 |
| Czech Rep. | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 10 |
| Scotland | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
| Lithuania | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 5 |
| Liechtenstein | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 16 | 4 |