PODGORICA (Montenegro): Wayne Rooney was sent off as England secured qualification for Euro 2012 after Montenegro fought back from two goals down to snatch a 2-2 draw on Friday.
A last-minute equaliser from substitute Andrija Delibasic grabbed a share of the points for Montenegro after England had taken the lead with goals from Ashley Young and Darren Bent.
The Montenegro fightback was not enough to prevent Fabio Capello’s men from earning the point they needed to secure qualification for next year’s finals in Poland and Ukraine, however.
But England’s night was so nearly ruined by Rooney’s 73rd minute moment of madness, the Manchester United striker sent off for aiming a needless and petulant kick at Montenegro defender Miodrag Dzudovic.
Rooney’s dismissal capped a miserable week following the arrest on Thursday of his father and uncle in connection with a football betting scam.
Montenegro’s fans meanwhile celebrated wildly at the final whistle after a result which guarantees them a place in the play-offs.
Germany down Turkey to claim ninth win
Germany earned their ninth consecutive win in Euro 2012 qualifiers on Friday as Bayern Munich trio Mario Gomez, Thomas Mueller and Bastian Schweinsteiger all netted in the 3-1 win over Turkey.
Gomez hit his 13th goal of the season in his 13th game for club and country during the first-half before Mueller hit the second after being set-up by teenage wunderkind Mario Goetze.
Turkey’s Hakan Balta scored a late consolation goal for the hosts with ten minutes left before Schweinsteiger converted a late penalty to seal the win.
The win leaves Germany with 27 points from nine games and Joachim Loew’s team had already booked their place for the finals, in Ukraine and Poland next June, after last month’s win over Austria.
The Germans host Belgium in Duesseldorf next Tuesday when Loew wants his side to finish their campaign with the perfect ten record.
As Belgium beat Kazakhstan, the defeat to Germany means Turkey drop to third in Group A and need to beat Azerbaijan next Tuesday, while hoping results go their way, to keep alive their dreams of qualifying for the finals.
Germany started with both veteran striker Miroslav Klose and play-maker Mesut Ozil in the stands after the pair dropped out due to knee and Achilles tendon injuries respectively.
Spain keep perfect record after beating Czechs
Reigning world and European champions Spain kept their perfect record in the Euro 2012 qualifying Group I after easing past the Czech Republic 2-0 on Friday with first-half goals from Juan Mata and Xabi Alonso.
Spain top the group with seven wins from seven games. The Czechs are second on 10 points, two ahead of Scotland who have two games to play.
Spanish coach Vicente Del Bosque started with three strikers — Mata, David Silva and Fernando Torres.
The tactic paid off six minutes into the game as Xavi set up Mata for a left footer from inside the box that curved past helpless Czech keeper Petr Cech, Mata’s Chelsea teammate.
In the 23rd minute, Silva found an unmarked Xabi Alonso who scored a comfortable second goal for Spain from near the penalty spot with a low shot.
Things could have got worse for the Czechs, who were confined to their half of the pitch for the first 35 minutes.
But Silva was denied by the Czech defence and Xavi sent his free kick from 25 metres just above the bar.
The hosts picked up some courage before halftime, but Michal Kadlec and Tomas Rosicky failed to find the target and the Czechs’ lone striker Milan Baros missed a cross in front of a gaping net. (Agencies)