World Cup 2022 qualifiers: Spain and Italy top groups after each win

ByAlexander Netherton

Updated 08/09/2021 at 22:07 GMT

There were wins for the major European sides in action on Wednesday night in the World Cup qualifying matches. Spain were 2-0 winners at Kosovo, while Italy won 5-0 against Lithuania. Germany continued their rehabilitation with a 4-0 victory away to Iceland. The top sides in their groups will automatically qualify for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

Spain and Italy top their respective World Cup qualifying groups with wins for each side on Wednesday night.

Group C saw Northern Ireland draw 0-0 at home to Switzerland. The Swiss remain second, on eight points, and Northern Ireland are third on five. Euro 2020 champions Italy crushed Lithuania 5-0, with two goals from Moise Kean, and one apiece from Giacomo Raspadori, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, and an own goal from Edgaras Utkus.

In Group E, Wales drew 0-0 with bottom side Estonia as their Qatar hopes stuttered. The Czech Republic are on seven points in second place, and Belgium are nine points clear after six games, more than any other side in the group. They defeated Belarus with a first-half goal from Dennis Praet.

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Group J’s match-up between Armenia and Liechtenstein ended as a 1-1 draw, and after six games for every side in the group, the Armenians are on 11 points, behind only Germany, on 15. Romania are five points behind Germany in third after their 0-0 draw with North Macedonia.

The Germans enjoyed a comfortable 4-0 win at Iceland, after goals from Serge Gnabry, Antonio Rudiger, Leroy Sane and Timo Werner.

Albania were comfortable 5-0 winners over San Marino, to move into second place, four points behind England in Group I. England suffered a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Poland after Harry Kane appeared to have scored the winner from distance in Group I. Hungary defeated Andorra 2-1 to leave them fourth and fifth respectively.

A 2-1 defeat for Sweden in Greece left the away side in second place behind Spain, with two games in hand and trailing by four points. Greece remains in third on six. Group B is headed by Spain, who had goals from Pablo Fornals and Ferran Torres to win 2-0 away at Kosovo.

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