Italy had already secured top spot in Group 8, but their fans jeered their team’s efforts in Parma.
“Some of those fans forgot this team are world champions,” Italy coach Marcello Lippi said.
Germany, Group 4 winners, were also well below-par, needing a last-minute scrambled goal from Lukas Podolski to salvage a 1-1 draw against Finland in Hamburg.
Wednesday’s other results:
• Azerbaijan 1, Russia 1
• Bulgaria 6, Georgia 2
• Czech Republic 0, N Ireland 0
• Denmark 0, Hungary 1
• Estonia 2, Belgium 0
• France 3, Austria 1
• Latvia 3, Moldova 2
• Liechtenstein 0, Wales 2
• Lithuania 2, Serbia 1
• Rep Ireland 0, Montenegro 0
• Romania 3, Faroe Islands 1
• Turkey 2, Armenia 0
■CONCACAF
AFP, WASHINGTON
Honduras qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1982 and only the second time in history on Wednesday after a 1-0 victory at El Salvador and a heartbreaking draw for Costa Rica.
Carlos Pavon scored in the 63rd minute to give the Hondurans the triumph over their “Soccer War” rivals and join the US and Mexico from North America for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
After civil unrest over a power struggle in Honduras, national team coach Reinaldo Rueda sees the World Cup qualification in unifying terms.
“It’s a contribution toward peace,” he said.
Victory alone was not enough and it appeared Costa Rica would cling to the last spot, but Jonathan Bornstein’s header in the fifth minute of injury-time gave the 10-man US a 2-2 draw with the Ticos in Washington to deny them.
On a cold and rainy night when Bryan Ruiz scored in the 21st minute and 24th minute to give Costa Rica a 2-0 lead, the US fought back to finish North American qualifying with three wins and two draws when their rivals scored first.
Michael Bradley, the US coach’s son, scored in the 72nd minute, but the Ticos were still on track for a World Cup berth until defender Bornstein took a pass from Robbie Rogers and nodded it past Costa Rica goalkeeper Keilor Navas.
“We put a lot of numbers in the box,” Bornstein said. “I don’t usually go up for that, but it was last shot time. No one marked me. I just snuck in there and the ball landed on my head.”
Mexico could have captured the CONCACAF qualifying crown, but settled for a closing 2-2 draw at Trinidad and Tobago.
Kerry Batiste opened the scoring for the hosts in the 32nd minute from the penalty spot. Mexico’s Enrique Alejandro Esqueda leveled in the 55th minute, but Baptiste scored his second goal of the game five minutes later.
Mexico’s Carlos Salcido netted the final goal in the 67th minute.
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