Germany on Friday maintained its 100 per cent record at the top of its Euro 2012 qualifying group with a last-gasp 2-1 victory in Austria. Mario Gomez scored late goal in both halves to give Germany a somewhat lucky victory against a gallant Austrian side which worked hard but failed to convert its chances. Germany coach Joachim Loew, whose side took a giant step towards qualification for next year's Euro finals in Ukraine and Poland, said that his side had made too many mistakes. “But there comes a point where the result is more important than the way in which it was achieved and we now have six wins from six games.” Germany tops Group A with 18 points, while second-placed Belgium is seven points behind after its 1-1 draw against Turkey, which is a point further behind. In the other match in the group, Sergei Gridin scored both goals for Kazakhstan to give it its first victory of the qualifying campaign in a 2-1 win against Azerbaijan. Like Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, which stunned Turkey in its qualifying game last October, has three points and no chance of advancing to the finals.
Italy sinks Estonia
In Group C, goals from Giuseppe Rossi, Antonio Cassano and Giampaolo Pazzini sank Estonia as Italy beat the Baltic guests 3-0 to retain a firm lead in its group. The Italians have 16 points from six games and lie five points clear of Slovenia, which beat the Faroe Islands 2-0, even though it was reduced to 10 men midway through the first half. It has played a game more than Italy. Croatia, meanwhile, came from a goal down to beat Georgia in a Group F match. Mario Mandzukic and Nikola Kalinic scored twice in two minutes late in the second half to see Croatia score a 2-1 come-back victory against the visitor, for whom Jaba Kankava scored the opener in the 16th minute. The win takes Croatia to the top of Group F ahead of Greece, which could move back into first place with a win against Malta.
In Group D Romania kept alive its hopes of making at least the play-offs with a 3-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina. Marica put the game beyond the visitor in the 54th minute to take Romania to eight points. It is fourth in the group, but just two points behind second-placed Belarus, which drew 1-1 with table-topping France in the other group match. Sweden outplayed Moldova 4-1 in Group E to close the gap on the Netherlands.
The other match in the group saw Finland win 1-0 in San Marino. In Group I minnow Liechtenstein stunned Lithuania 2-0.
The results: Group A:At Astana: Kazakhstan 2 (Gridin 57, 69) bt Azerbaijan 1 (Nadirov 64).
At Vienna: Austria 1 (A. Friedrich 50-og) lost to Germany 2 (Gomez 44, 90).
At Brussels: Belgium 1 (Ogunjimi 4) drew with Turkey 1 (B. Yilmaz 22).
Group C: At Toftir: Faroe Islands 0 lost to Slovenia 2 (Matavz 29, Baldvinsson 47-og).
At Modena: Italy 3 (Rossi 21, Cassano 39, Pazzini 68) bt Estonia 0.
Group D: At Bucharest: Romania 3 (Mutu 36, Marica 41, 54) bt Bosnia 0.
At Minsk: Belarus 1 (Abidal 20-og) drew with France 1 (Malouda 22).
Group E: At Kishinev: Moldova 1 (Bugaev 61) lost to Sweden 4 (Toivonen 11, Elmander 30, 58, Gerndt 88).
At Serravalle: San Marino 0 lost to Finland 1 (Forssell 41).
Group F: At Split: Croatia 2 (Mandukic 76, Kalinic 78) bt Georgia 1 (Kankava 17).
Group I: At Vaduz: Liechtenstein 2 (Erne 7, Polverino 36) bt Lithuania 0.
