Spain, Italy, Netherlands qualify for Euro 2012; England closes in on berth

As the Euro 2012 qualifying round winds down, the cream is rising to the top.

Defending champion Spain, 2010 World Cup runner-up Netherlands and Italy joined Germany as powerhouses to qualify for next summer's tournament finals after victories over Lichtenstein and Slovenia, respectively, on Tuesday.

David Villa and Alvaro Negredo each netted braces in Spain's 6-0 victory that cemented the nation's place atop Group I, while Giampaolo Pazzini's late goal gave Italy a 1-0 win and guaranteed first place atop Group C.

England moved a step closer to qualification with a win on Tuesday as well. Ashley Young's goal gave England an underwhelming 1-0 victory over Wales in a game that was marred by a fan being beaten to death prior to the match outside Wembley Stadium. A few games remain in Group G play, but England maintains a six-point edge over Montenegro atop the group table.

The Dutch, meanwhile, continued their run of strong form with a 2-0 win over Finland as Kevin Strootman and Luuk de Jong found the back of the net. Holland stands six points clear of both Sweden and Hungary with two matches remaining in Group E play and has clinched a spot in the finals. If the Dutch get a point out of their final two games, they will secure first place in the group.

As for all of the results from Tuesday's matches:

GROUP A

Azerbaijan 3, Kazakhstan 2

Austria 0, Turkey 0

GROUP B

Russia 0, Ireland 0

Macedonia 1, Andorra 0

Slovakia 0, Armenia 4

GROUP C

Italy 1, Slovenia 0

Estonia 4, Northern Ireland 1

Serbia 3, Faroe Islands 1

GROUP D

Bosnia-Herzegovina 1, Belarus 0

Luxembourg 2, Albania 1

Romania 0, France 0

GROUP E

Finland 0, Netherlands 2

Moldova 0, Hungary 2

San Marino 0, Sweden 5

GROUP F

Croatia 3, Israel 1

Lativa 1, Greece 1

Malta 1, Georgia 1

GROUP G

England 1, Wales 0

Switzerland 3, Bulgaria 1

GROUP H

Denmark 2, Norway 0

Iceland 1, Cyprus 0

GROUP I

Spain 6, Lichtenstein 0

Scotland 1, Lithuania 0

Here are the latest standings for Euro 2012 qualifying.

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