Italy booked a ticket to the Euro 2012 finals when substitute Giampaolo Pazzini struck a late goal to secure a 1-0 win over Slovenia.The win at Florence gave Italy an unassailable eight-point lead over second-placed Serbia with both teams having two matches left. The Italians qualified along with holders Spain on Tuesday after Germany on Friday became the first team to qualify for next year's finals in Poland and Ukraine. Slovenia, who lost at home to Estonia on Friday, have little hope of qualifying after slipping to fourth in the group and trail Serbia by three points having played a game more. Serbia beat visitors the Faroe Islands 3-1 on Tuesday to win Euro 2012.Holders Spain also qualified for the Euro 2012 finals with two games to spare after David Villa and Alvaro Negredo scored twice in a 6-0 drubbing of Liechtenstein. Vienna, Turkey drew 0-0 with Austria in their Euro 2012 qualifier on Wednesday, although the result still left them well-placed to take second place in the group.Scotland also kept their Euro 2012 playoff hopes alive with a second-half Steven Naismith strike enough to secure a 1-0 victory over Lithuania in Group I on Wednesday.Meanwhile, Netherlands made it eight wins from eight Euro 2012 Group E qualifiers with a 2-0 triumph over 10-man Finland on Wednesday.
News On AIR | September 7, 2011 8:11 PM
Italy enter Euro 2012 finals