LONDON: France gained some payback for its World Cup final loss with a 3-1 victory over Italy in European Championship qualifying on Wednesday while Germany routed San Marino by a championship record 13-0.

Northern Ireland came from behind to beat Spain 3-2 in the day's biggest upset with David Healy scoring all three. But England and the Netherlands moved smoothly toward Euro 2008 with their second shutout victories in group play. Sidney Govou, chosen to start instead of Louis Saha, scored twice and Thierry Henry added the other at the Stade de France as Italy slumped to another defeat. Under coach Roberto Donadoni, who replaced Marcello Lippi after the World Cup, the Italians have lost twice and were held 1-1 by visiting Lithuania in Group B.

Govou put the French into the lead in the second minute and, after Henry added a second in the 17th, Alberto Gilardino replied for the Italians three minutes later. But Govou's long-range header in the 55th made it 3-1 to give France two victories from two games and a five-point advantage over the World Cup champion.

Germany made up for a shaky 1-0 victory over Ireland setting a European Championship record at San Marino.

Lukas Podolski scored four goals and Thomas Hitzlsperger, Miroslav Klose, Bastian Schweinsteiger two each as the Germans beat Spain's 12-1 victory over Malta in qualifying game in 1983. Michael Ballack, Manuel Friedrich and Bernd Schneider also hit the target.

The results:

Group A: Azerbaijan drew with Kazakhstan 1-1; Poland drew with Serbia 1-1; Finland drew with Portugal 1-1; Armenia lost to Belgium 1-0. Group B: France bt Italy 3-1; Lithuania lost to Scotland 2-1; Ukraine bt Georgia 3-2. Group C: Bosnia lost to Hungary 3-1; Turkey bt Malta 2-0; Norway bt Moldova 2-0.

Group D: San Marino lost to Germany 13-0; Slovakia lost to Czech Republic 3-0.

Group E: Macedonia lost to England 1-0; Israel bt Andorra 4-1; Russia drew with Croatia 0-0. Group F: Northern Ireland bt Spain 3-2; Iceland lost to Denmark 2-0; Sweden bt Liechtenstein 3-1.

Group G: Netherlands bt Belarus 3-0; Albania lost to Romania 2-0; Bulgaria bt Slovenia 3-0. — Agencies

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