Modric hits the mark as Croatia cruise on

While England made hard work of overcoming the minnows, Croatia showed why they are the favourites to win Group Six with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Kazakhstan in Zagreb.

Niko Kovac, Croatia's captain, led by example, heading his side's opening goal after 13 minutes from Darijo Srna's corner, and Tottenham's Luka Modric put the home side in control in the 36th minute by cracking home the second after good work by Ivica Olic and Ivan Klasnic.

Kazakhstan rarely posed a threat, allowing the Croats to conserve their energy for England's visit on Wednesday before wrapping up victory with a third from Mladen Peric, Olic again involved in the build-up.

There was another familiar goalscorer in the other match in the group, but Andriy Shevchenko left it late to claim the only goal in Ukraine's home win over Belarus in Lviv. Having come on as a late substitute the Chelsea misfit, now back in Milan, converted a penalty for handball three minutes into added time.

All the goals in Norway's 2-2 draw at home to Iceland in Scotland's Group Nine came from players well known in England. Steffen Iversen, once of Tottenham and Wolves, twice put Norway in front but they were pegged back first by Bolton's Heidar Helguson and then by Barcelona's former Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen.

In Wales's Group Four, Germany put into perspective England's efforts against a team intent only on defence by thrashing Liechtenstein 6-0 away from home. Lukas Podolski, who has been accused at Bayern Munich of sulking on the bench lately, responded to his manager Jürgen Klinsmann's demand that he sharpen up by scoring the first two goals.

France followed up their poor showing at the European Championships by losing 3-1 away to Austria, one of the hosts of that tournament. The Austrians, also poor in those finals, showed that a draw in Italy in a friendly last month was no fluke with their captain, Andreas Ivanschitz, leading the way. He hit a free-kick that Philippe Mexes turned into his own net and another from which Rene Aufhauser made it 2-0. Then after Sydney Govou had pulled a goal back, Ivanschitz sealed Austria's first win over France for 38 years with a penalty after a foul by Mexes.