Tuesday’s Euro 2012 qualifiers brought drama as Germany walloped Kazakhstan, Spain edged Scotland and the Netherlands trounced Sweden to cement 100 percent records.
Fabio Capello’s England turned in a bitterly disappointing Group G goalless draw at Wembley with Montenegro, who therefore still top the group with 10 points from four games to seven points from three games for England.
World champions Spain briefly threw away a two-goal lead at Hampden Park, before Fernando Llorente conjured a close-range winner barely three minutes after coming on in place of David Silva.
The 3-2 win ensured that the world and European champions maintained their run of winning all their qualifiers going back to a 2007 draw with Iceland — 17 matches ago.
David Villa was earlier on target from the spot with his 44th Spanish goal to go level with record marksman Raul, while Andres Iniesta also netted, with Steven Naismith and a Gerard Pique own-goal briefly giving Scotland supporters hope.
Germany, the team Spain beat in the World Cup semi-final as well as the final of Euro 2008, ran out far clearer winners in their Group A encounter away to Kazakhstan.
Miroslav Klose, Mario Gomez and Lukas Podolski all scored in a 3-0 win to make it a maximum 12 points — five ahead of Austria, who drew a topsy-turvy game 4-4 in Belgium.
World Cup finalists the Netherlands are also in a good place after Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Ibrahim Afellay scored a brace each against Sweden.
Liverpool fans will be fuming though, after forward Dirk Kuyt was taken to hospital with a right ankle injury.
Elsewhere, Russia head Group B following a 1-0 win in Macedonia after a Robbie Keane missed penalty saw the Republic of Ireland blow a chance to stay in pole position on the way to a 1-1 draw in Slovakia.
Ireland had taken the lead through Sean St Ledger, before Slovakia equalized through Jan Durica. Russia lead Ireland and Slovakia by two points.
In Group D, France are emerging from their World Cup nightmare and sit atop Group D after a routine 2-0 victory over Luxembourg, courtesy of goals in either half from Karim Benzema and Yoann Gourcuff.
Belarus, who shocked France in the opening match, are only a solitary point adrift after a 2-0 win over Albania.
Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, sent Portugal on their way to a 3-1 victory in Iceland with an early goal, but his side stay two points behind early leaders Norway.
Tuesday’s other results:
Group A
‧ Azerbaijan 1, Turkey 0
Group B
‧ Armenia 4, Andorra 0
Group C
‧ Estonia 0, Slovenia 1
‧ Faroes 1, Northern Ireland 1
Group E
‧ Finland 1, Hungary 2
‧ San Marino 0, Moldova 2
Group F
‧ Greece 2, Israel 1
‧ Latvia 1, Georgia 1
Group G
‧ Switzerland 4, Wales 1
Group H
‧ Denmark 2, Cyprus 0
Group I
‧ Liechtenstein 0, Czech Rep. 2
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