Germany first team to qualify for Euro 2012 finals by thrashing Austria 6-2

LONDON – Germany routed Austria 6-2 to became the first team to qualify for Euro 2012 while top-ranked Netherlands crushed San Marino 11-0 in its biggest ever win to move a step closer to the finals on Friday.

Real Madrid playmaker Mesut Oezil’s brace and further goals by Miroslav Klose, Lukas Podolski, Andre Schurrle and Mario Gotze sealed the freescoring Germans’ eighth straight win in qualifying, giving them an insurmountable lead in Group A.

The Dutch are on the brink of joining them in Ukraine and Poland, with Arsenal striker Robin van Persie’s four-goal haul and doubles by Wesley Sneijder and Klaas Jan Huntelaar helping preserve the team’s perfect record and pulling them six points clear in Group E.

Two more European heavyweights also won Friday to move into strong positions to secure qualification, with Wayne Rooney scoring twice in England’s 3-0 triumph at Bulgaria and Italy squeezing past Faeroe Islands 1-0 thanks to Antonio Cassano’s early strike.

With closest rival Montenegro losing 2-1 at Wales, England is three points clear in Group G with two matches remaining while the Italians require just one win from their last three games to win Group C.

Elsewhere, France went three points clear in Group D with a 2-1 win in Albania and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal thrashed Cyprus 4-0 to stay first in Group H, level on points with Norway.

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With Turkey grabbing an injury-time winner to beat Kazakhstan 2-1 and go second, Germany had to see off Austria to guarantee top spot.

Klose gave the hosts the perfect start, his 62nd international goal opening the scoring and moving him six behind Gerd Mueller’s all-time record.

Oezil, back in his home town of Gelsenkirchen, then took centre stage by netting either side of Podolski’s goal before Schurrle and Gotze garnished the scoreline in the final 10 minutes.

Elsewhere in the group, Belgium drew 1-1 at Azerbaijan and is a point behind Turkey having played a game more.

Netherlands celebrated climbing above Spain in the world rankings last week by demolishing San Marino and could join Germany in the finals with a victory over Finland on Tuesday.

“It’s not the toughest opponent around,” Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk said of San Marino, which is joint last in the rankings.

John Heitinga, Dirk Kuyt and Georgino Wijnaldum were the other scorers in Eindhoven for the 1988 European champions.

Gergely Rudolf scored a last-minute winner as Hungary beat Sweden 2-1 to move level with its opponent on 15 points. Sweden is ahead on goal difference and has played a game fewer.

England couldn’t have wished for a better night, cruising to victory in Poland – thanks to Rooney’s first-half brace which added to the opener scored by Bolton defender Gary Cahill – and then discovering Montenegro lost to previously winless Wales.

Italy was less impressive in scraping past the Faeroes at the Torsvolli stadium but a fifth win in six qualifiers nevertheless leaves the 2006 world champions within touching distance of qualifying ahead of a home match against Slovenia on Tuesday.

Slovenia, which lost 2-1 to Estonia, stayed second but is now level on points with Serbia, which snatched a 1-0 win at Northern Ireland through Marko Pantelic’s second-half goal.

Karim Benzema and Yann M’Vila were the scorers for France, which was forced to hold on for victory after Albania forward Erjon Bogdani halved the deficit in the 46th.

Bosnia-Herzegovina is now the closest challenger to the French after a 2-0 win at Belarus.

Group H is likely to go down to the wire after Portugal followed Norway’s 1-0 success against Iceland with a romp in Cyprus, Hugo Almeida and Danny adding to Ronaldo’s goals.

Russia took advantage of Ireland’s 0-0 draw at home Slovakia by moving two points clear of the pair in Group B with a narrow 1-0 victory over Macedonia, Igor Semshov grabbing the 41st-minute winner.

Greece and Croatia look set to battle it out for top spot in Group F with three matches still remaining after grabbing away victories.

The Croatians were comfortable 3-1 winners at Malta thanks to goals by Ognjen Vukojevic, Milan Badelj and Dejan Lovren but remain a point behind Greece, which eked out a 1-0 win at third-place Israel through Panathinaikos midfielder Sotorios Ninis’ goal.