EURO 2012 Qualifiers Group E-I

By Pablo Imaz

Group E:
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar netted a hat-trick and Ruud van Nistelrooy scored on his international return as World Cup runners-up Netherlands began their Euro 2012 Group E qualifying campaign with a comprehensive 5-0 win over San Marino. On Tuesday Huntelaar scored twice to beat Finland. Pontus Wernbloom’s first international goals helped Sweden launch their bid to reach Euro 2012 with a comfortable home victory. The 24-year-old was a regular scorer for IFK Gothenburg before departing to join Dutch outfit AZ 15 months ago, but he had not showcased that form in the Sweden shirt until Saturday night. On Tuesday evening Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice as Sweden shrugged off the first-half dismissal of defender Olof Mellberg and maintained their 100% start in Group E with a 6-0 rout of San Marino.

Group F:
Slaven Bilic saw his Croatia side cruise to a comfortable three-goal win over Latvia as they opened their Euro 2012 Group F qualifying campaign in Riga. Croatia did not look very good when they drew 0-0 on Tuesday against a stingier Greek side who are well known for being a defensive minded team. Luis Fernandez’s Israel side started their campaign with a 3-1 home win over Malta on Thursday thanks to a hat-trick from captain Yossi Benayoun, but were unable to break down a stubborn Georgia defense at the Boris Paichadze National Stadium. For Georgia, it was a second successive draw after they opened with a 1-1 result against 2004 European champions Greece in Piraeus on Friday.

Group G:
Jermain Defoe put off a groin operation that threatened to rule him out of England’s opening Euro 2012 opener and gained perfect reward in a deserved win that eased some of the pressure that has been building around Capello. More importantly it moves England (photo) straight to the top of Group G. Another three points in Switzerland on Tuesday gave the England boss some job security again. For Montenegro, who are embarking on their first European qualification campaign as an independent nation, the win marked back-to-back 1-0 successes after they overcame Wales in their Group G opener. Bulgaria coach Stanimir Stoilov announced his resignation immediately after his side suffered their second defeat to start their Euro 2012 campaign at home to Montenegro.

Group H:
Portugal’s difficult start to their Euro 2012 Group H qualifying campaign continued as they fell to defeat against Norway in Oslo. They were held to a 4-4 draw with Cyprus in their opener and were unable to respond after Erik Huseklepp gave the hosts a 21st-minute lead at the Ullevaal Stadion tonight, leaving them languishing in fourth place in the table. Denmark left it late to maintain their perfect home record against Iceland in Tuesday’s European Championship qualifier in Copenhagen. The Danes had won all eight of their previous meetings with their rivals on home soil but needed an injury-time goal from Thomas Kahlenberg to open their campaign with a victory. Iceland already look unlikely to qualify from Group H having also lost to Norway on Friday.

Group I:
World champions Spain began the defense of their European Championship title with a thumping 4-0 win over outclassed Liechtenstein in Vaduz. Fernando Torres struck twice while David Villa and substitute David Silva were also on the score sheet as the world’s top-ranked side, who this summer added the World Cup to the European crown they won two years ago in Austria and Switzerland, kicked off their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign in impressive style. Vicente del Bosque’s side, who have now won 52 of 57 matches since 2006, scored two brilliant goals in the first half through Torres and Villa but could have had many more after cutting open the home defense time and again. Spain have one game pending as they travelled to Buenos Aires to play a friendly against Argentina losing 4-1.