Hungary eases past Andorra

Strikes from Roland Juhasz, Zoltan Gera (penalty), Adam Szalai, Tamas Priskin and Vladimir Koman sealed a comfortable Group D victory, while goals from Gabriel Torje and Ciprian Marica gave Romania a 2-0 win over Estonia.

Robin van Persie scored the opener as Netherlands began its campaign with a 2-0 victory over Turkey, Luciano Narsingh netting the second in stoppage-time.

Georgi Milanov's second-half strike rescued a point for Bulgaria, which held EURO 2012 finalist Italy to a 2-2 draw.

The host took a shock lead on the half-hour when Stanislav Manolev's 35-yard strike rocketed past Gianluigi Buffon but Pablo Osvaldo's scored twice in three minutes to put the Azzurri ahead at the interval.

But Italy was pegged back as Milanov fired high into the net from Iliyan Mitsanski's cross to ensure a share of the spoils in Group B, where Armenia went top after Artur Sarkisov's 70th-minute strike gave it a 1-0 win over Malta.

England launched its qualifying campaign with a 5-0 Group H win in Moldova.

Frank Lampard scored twice to provided the perfect answer to questions about his age, with Jermain Defoe, James Milner and a deflected Leighton Baines free-kick underlining England's overwhelming superiority.

Elsewhere in the group, Montenegro and Poland drew 2-2 in a fiery encounter that saw both teams reduced to 10 men.

Abou Diaby scored the only goal as France edged past Finland in Group I, while Georgia got its campaign off to a winning start as a fine second-half goal from Tornike Okriashvili saw off the challenge of Belarus.

Germany began the qualifiers with a routine 3-0 Group C win over the Faroe Islands.

Mario Gotze broke the deadlock in the 28th minute before Mesut Ozil's second-half brace sealed a comfortable, if unspectacular, victory.

Last-gasp goals from Robbie Keane and Kevin Doyle ensured Republic of Ireland avoided embarrassment after it came from behind to beat Kazakhstan 2-1.

Giovanni Trapattoni's side looked set for an embarrassing defeat when Kairat Nurdauletov glanced home after an insipid first-half performance from the visitor until Keane's penalty and Doyle's strike gave the visitor a hard-fought win.

In Group A, defensive duo Vincent Kompany and Jan Vertonghen gave Belgium a 2-0 win over Wales, whose early good work was undone when James Collins was sent off in the 25th minute.

Nikica Jelavic's opportunist 68th-minute header got Igor Stimac's reign as Croatia coach off to a winning start against FYR Macedonia.

Cristiano Ronaldo was on song but Portugal only edged past minnow Luxembourg 2-1 in Group F.

The Portugal midfielder drew his side level just before the half-hour mark after Daniel Da Mota Alves gave Luxembourg the lead, before he made a nuisance of himself in a top-class performance which saw Helder Postiga's strike earn the visitor a well-deserved win.

Northern Ireland's qualifying campaign got off to a losing start as goals from Viktor Fayzulin and Roman Shirokov gave Fabio Capello's Russia three points in Moscow, while Israel was forced to settle for a 1-1 draw at Azerbaijan.

Granit Xhaka and Gokhan Inler gave Switzerland, which had captain Tranquillo Barnetta sent off, a 2-0 win at Slovenia, while goals in either half from Kari Arnason and Alfred Finnbogason gave Iceland a 2-0 win over Norway, and Albania beat Cyprus 3-1.

In Group G, Greece came from behind to beat Latvia 2-1, Edin Dzeko and Vedad Ibisevic scored a hat-trick apiece as Bosnia-Herzegovina thrashed Liechtenstein 8-1 and Lithuania and Slovakia played out a 1-1 draw.