UEFA 2014 World Cup qualifying: Belgium, Germany and Switzerland all advance

In the second half, Spain upped their tempo slightly and began putting more pressure on the visitors. Pedro came close again by dragging a near-post effort wide, before Xavi pounced to break the deadlock, getting onto the end of a loose ball in the area with a smart run from deep to smash the ball home from the edge of the area.

That took the wind out of Belarus’ sails, although hardly opened the floodgates, with Spain continuing to play a ponderous game after the goal. Yet with some pressure still being exerted, Spain made it two shortly afterwards. Alvaro Negredo, who had been introduced for the ineffective Michu, pounced to convert Sergio Ramos’ cross home from 12 yards out with a diving header to secure the points.

Portugal: Patricio, Pepe, A. Almeida, Costa, Antunes, Veloso (Eder 87’), Moutinho, Micael (Josue 69’), Ronaldo, Nani, H. Almeida (Olivera 70’)

Goals: Costa (28’)

More than a year ago, UEFA began the process of deciding which teams would qualify for the 2014 World Cup and which would face an additional playoff game to earn a place. After Friday’s matches, we’re left with just one match day left on Tuesday for the process to finally be complete.

While several groups have already been wrapped up, there’s still going to be some interesting games next week, as several playoff spots will be up for grabs. Lets take a look at all of Friday’s results across Europe.

Germany: Neuer, Jansen, Mertesacker, Boateng, Lahm, Khedira (Kruse 82’), Schweinsteiger, Schürrle (Götze 86’), Kroos, Özil, Müller (Sam 88’)

Goals: Khedira (12’), Schürrle (58’), Özil (90’)

Jovetic gave Hart a scare when his 25-yard piledriver beat his club teammate but cannoned back off the crossbar rather than finding the back of the net, but it seemed as though the former Fiorentina man’s effort was going to be a brief blip in a dominant display from the hosts, who should have added to their lead through Gerrard and then Welbeck. Surprisingly, however, it was the visitors who scored next, Damjanovic (who looked suspiciously offside) turning in a Fatos Beqiraj shot and causing renewed nail-biting in the England dugout.

Fortunately for the hosts, Townsend was on hand to wrap it up. After Rooney and Welbeck were thwarted in their attempts to worm their way into the Montenegrin box, the debutante showed them that they really didn’t need to bother with the buildup play business, running through the centre and then firing a 25-yard right-footed shot in off the post.

• Rooney continues to make himself a problem

• How UEFA qualifying might shake out

However, not even the might of Zlatan was enough to realistically topple the Nationalmannschaft, who should be challenging for glory again in Brazil last summer. Despite possessing unquestionably one of the strongest squads in world football at the moment, they’ve often fallen late in major competitions; losing in the semifinals of both the 2010 World Cup and last summer’s European Championships. Maybe now is finally their time to bring some silverware home.

• Rooney continues to make himself a problem

The Oranje never looked back, with Strootman adding a second inside ten minutes. A defensive mix-up saw Lens pick up the ball out on the left flank and curl a perfect cross into the area for the AS Roma midfielder, who guided it back across the face of goal and in at the far post for 2-0.

Strootman repaid the favour just over five minutes before halftime, with his chipped pass weakly hooked into the path of Lens by a Hungarian defender. The Dynamo Kyiv winger neatly caught the ball on the bounce and half-volleyed it into the back of the net, with the Dutch looking so comfortable they could’ve played lying down.