Vucinic extends Montenegro run ahead of Wembley showdown

Round-Up

Montenegro moved three points clear at the top of England's group last night with a 1-0 win over Switzerland in Podgorica, their third successive victory in Euro 2012 qualifiers

The Roma striker Mirko Vucinic, who is likely to be the main threat to Fabio Capello's side at Wembley on Tuesday, got Montenegro's winner in the 67th minute. He chipped the ball home from a narrow angle and then celebrated in bizarre style by taking his shorts off and putting them on his head, earning a yellow card. Switzerland, who have been on a downhill run since beating eventual winners Spain at the World Cup, have lost their first two qualifying matches.

Serbia, who sacked World Cup coach Radomir Antic last month and replaced him with former Arsenal player Vladimir Petrovic, were humbled 3-1 at home by Estonia, Tarmo Kink, Konstantin Vassiljev and Aleksandar Lukovic getting the visitors' goals.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar got the Netherlands' goal as they scraped to a 1-0 win over Moldova in Chisinau. Miroslav Klose scored twice as Germany beat Turkey 3-0 in Berlin, Mesut Ozil getting the Germans' other goal.

Fernando Llorente powered home two headers and David Silva added a superb third to give world and European champions Spain a 3-1 win over Lithuania. The home side dominated against an ultra-defensive Lithuania in the Group I match but could not find a goal until two minutes after the break when Llorente, playing in place of the injured Fernando Torres, nodded in a Sergio Ramos cross. The visitors hit back through Darvydas Sernas before Santi Cazorla provided the cross for Llorente to put Spain back in front. The lively Silva made it 3-1 in the 79th with another header.

Hungary crushed San Marino 8-0 in a typically one-sided international against Europe's whipping boys, while Belgium got their first points after three matches with debutant Marvin Ogunjimi netting both in a 2-0 win in Kazakhstan. Macedonia also scored their first win but struggled to beat tiny Andorra 2-0.

In Yerevan, Armenia handed the Slovaks their first defeat in Group B after victories in their opening two matches. Slovakia, who beat defending champions Italy 3-2 in the first round of the World Cup in June, started their campaign with wins over Macedonia and Russia, trailed to Yura Movsisyan's 23rd minute opener.

Vladimir Weiss levelled on 37 minutes but Gevorg Ghazaryan put the home side 2-1 up just after the interval and Henrik Mkhitaryan sealed a deserved, but surprise win for Armenia a minute from time.

Belgium, who lost their opening two games in Group A, survived an early own-goal scare before finally kick-starting their campaign with a 2-0 win away to Kazakhstan.