Rasmus Elm and Marcus Berg were on target as
Germany continued its 100 per cent start to Group C with a 2-1 win in
Goals from
Roberto Soldado's 86th-minute winner saved Spain from an embarrassing goalless draw with Georgia in the opening match of its qualifying campaign.
The Valencia striker, starting for the world and European champion ahead of Cesc Fabregas and Fernando Torres, swept the ball home after a short corner to spare the visitor's blushes.
Soldado was the only change to the side that started the EURO 2012 final victory over Italy, but Vicente del Bosque's side was far from at its slick best and almost went behind when Alexander Amisulashvili struck a post.
France topped Spain's Group I after making it two wins out of two with a 3-1 triumph over Belarus.
Etienne Capoue put Didier Deschamps side in front early in the second half and Christophe Jallet added a second.
Les Bleus had a scare when Sergey Kornilenko missed a penalty and Anton Putsila did score a minute later, but Franck Ribery settled the nerves 10 minutes from time.
Italy got its first win in Group B with a 2-0 success over
After a 2-2 draw with
Stanislav Manolev scored the winner, but the highlight of the second half was a flurry of red cards,
Netherlands, so poor at EURO 2012, won 4-1 in
Jeremain Lens' early opener was quickly cancelled out by a penalty from
Lens with his second and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar struck it the second half to ensure a convincing win.
England needed an 87th-minute equaliser from Frank Lampard from the penalty spot to rescue a 1-1 draw against Group H rival Ukraine at Wembley.
After Jermain Defoe had a goal disallowed, Yevgen Konoplianka put the visitor in front.
Lampard levelled from the spot after Yevhen Khacherdi was penalised for handball, but there was still time for Steven Gerrard to see red for a second yellow card.
Poland and Montenegro joined England on top of the group with four points.
The Poles saw off Moldova 2-0 thanks to a Jakub Blaszczykowski penalty and a Jakub Wawrzyniak strike.
Montenegro hit minnow San Marino for six, with two goals each from Fatos Beqiraj and Andrija Delibasic and one apiece for Luka Djordjevic and Elsad Zverotic.
Portugal and Russia established a five-point cushion over the chasing pack in Group F.
Portugal recorded its second win of the campaign, 3-0 against Azerbaijan, courtesy of second-half efforts from Silvestre Varela, Helder Postiga and Bruno Alves, the last two coming in the final five minutes.
Russia found the going rather easier in Israel, an Alexander Kerzhakov double and goals from Aleksandr Kokorin and Viktor Faitzulin giving it a 4-0 win.
Also in the group, Northern Ireland drew 1-1 at home to Luxembourg, for which Daniel da Mota cancelled out Dean Shiels' opener.
In Group A, Serbia crushed woeful Wales 6-1.
Aleksandar Kolarov, Zoran Tosic, Filip Djuricic, Dusan Tadic, Branislav Ivanovic and Miralem Sulejmani netted for the host, with Gareth Bale briefly giving Wales hope by pulling one back in the first half.
Belgium and Croatia joined Serbia on top of the pile after a 1-1 draw, Guillaume Gillet cancelling out Ivan Perisic's opener.
Scotland came from behind to draw 1-1 with FYR Macedonia, Kenny Miller and Nikolce Noveski scoring.
Switzerland continues to lead the way in Group E, Xherdan Shaqiri and a Gokhan Inler penalty giving it a 2-0 home win over Albania.
Konstantinos Makridis scored to give Cyprus a 1-0 win over Iceland, which had Solvi Ottesen sent off late on.
Norway fought back to defeat Slovenia 2-1, John Arne Riise getting the winner with a 90th-minute penalty.
Markus Henriksen cancelled out Marko Suler's opener.
Bosnia-Herzegovina and Greece won for the second time in Group G.
The former crushed Latvia 4-1, but only after conceding a Kaspars Gorkss' goal after five minutes.
Zvjezdan Misimovic scored twice, including a penalty, while Miralem Pjanic and Edin Dzeko got one each as the host recovered.
Greece beat Lithuania 2-0 thanks to goals from Sotiris Ninis and Kostas Mitroglou.
Slovakia recorded a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein, Marek Sapara and Martin Jakubko on target.
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