By Xinhua
London : Italy played a goalless draw with France, 10-man Spain was held 1-1 by Iceland, while Germany and England savoured easy wins in the Euro 2008 football qualifying matches.
While the Netherlands beat Bulgaria 2-0, Turkey suffered an upset with a 2-2 draw in Malta in Saturday’s run-up to the finals to be co-hosted by Austria and Switzerland.
At Milan’s San Siro stadium, 2006 World Cup winners Italy took on France in a game with tension and passion.
Filippo Inzaghi hit the bar on the half-hour mark, teammates Alessandro Del Piero and captain Fabio Cannavaro also lost their chances, while Nicolas Anelka squandered the best opportunities for the visitors.
However, France still lead Group B with 19 points. Scotland who beat Lithuania 3-1 in Glasgow, are a point behind, while Italy only rank third on 17 after eight matches.
On the other hand, Germany scored a 2-0 Group D win over Wales in Cardiff, and accumulated 22 points from a possible 24 and already have one foot in the finals.
Striker Miroslav Klose, top scorer at the 2006 World Cup on home soil, scored both goals, a neat low finish after five minutes and a second-half header.
The Czech Republic kept the Group D runner-up slot, beating 10-man San Marino 3-0 to run away from Ireland who conceded a stoppage-time goal to draw 2-2 in Slovakia.
England trounced Israel 3-0 at London’s Wembley Stadium to move up to third in Group E with goals from winger Shaun Wright-Phillips, striker Michael Owen and teenage defender Micah Richards.
Group E leaders Croatia stayed on course for the finals, as their Brazilian-born striker Eduardo da Silva scoring both goals in a 2-0 win over Estonia.
Spain lost midfielder Xabi Alonso to a 19th-minute red card for stamping and fell behind to Emil Hallfredsson’s strike shortly before halftime.
However, they managed a point through Andres Iniesta’s equaliser in the 86th minute.
Northern Ireland stay second in Group F but level on 16 points with the Spaniards after they lost 0-1 to Latvia with a Chris Baird own goal.
Group F leaders Sweden drew 0-0 with Denmark.
Turkey’s draw in Malta, through a 76th-minute equaliser from Servet Cetin, left them third in Group C.
Group A leaders Poland grabbed a late point in Portugal, with Krzysztof Lagiewka making it 2-2 against the Euro 2004 hosts in the 87th minute.