Group leaders Holland, Ukraine and England all won, while Croatia moved top of Group Eight.

But David Trezeguet turned from hero to villain as France were held in Israel - while Spain missed the chance to make up ground on Group Seven leaders Serbia & Montenegro.

Wales' hopes are now definitely over, although two draws in Group Five have left Scotland - with a game in hand over most of their rivals - still in with a very faint chance of making the finals.

GROUP ONE

Holland stay top of Group One as Romeo Castelen and Ruud van Nistelrooy's first-half goals saw off Armenia 2-0.

Meanwhile, the Czech Republic claimed their fifth win from six games with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Andorra, which included two penalties.

Romania also kept in touch with the top two teams by beating FYR Macedonia 2-1.

Nicolae Mitea put Romania ahead and although Goran Maznov equalised, Mitea restored the visitors' advantage.

GROUP TWO

Ukraine kept up their unbeaten Group Two record by beating Denmark 1-0, with Andriy Voronin getting the only goal as the Danes missed several chances.

Greece stay second after a goal in each half by Angelos Charisteas and Giorgos Karagounis helped beat Albania 2-0.

In the other game, Turkey completed their second win in five days by beating 10-man Georgia 5-2 in Tbilisi.

Fatish Tekke bagged a brace for the visitors, while Georgia's Gogita Gogua saw red with six minutes left.

GROUP THREE

Portugal and Slovakia remain level on points at the top of Group Three after drawing 1-1 in Bratislava.

Miroslav Karhan put Slovakia ahead from the spot early on, but Helder Postiga levelled just after the hour mark.

Russia are in third place, three points behind the leaders, after being held to a 1-1 draw in Estonia.

But Latvia romped to a 4-0 victory over Luxembourg - with Imants Bleidelis and Juris Laizans on target, and Maris Verpakovskis adding two more late on.

GROUP FOUR

Group Four remains the tightest of the European groups after Israel and France drew 1-1 to stay level at the top.

David Trezeguet put the visitors ahead but was then sent off for violent conduct five minutes later, and Walid Badir equalised in the closing stages.

Switzerland beat Cyprus 1-0 to move level with the Republic of Ireland and within a point of France and Israel.

Alex Frei got the winner two minutes from time, before Nikos Panagiotou saw red for Cyprus in the final minute.

GROUP FIVE

Italy's chances of qualification were boosted after their nearest rivals Norway and Slovenia could only drew.

Norway missed the chance to move within two points of the Group Five leaders, who were not in action, after drawing 0-0 against Moldova in Chisinau.

That result also saw Moldova move level on points with Scotland.

Slovenia trail Norway on goal difference as Aleksandar Rodic put them ahead against Belarus, before Alexander Kulchiy levelled the score at 1-1.

GROUP SIX

In Group Six, England laboured to a 2-0 win over Azerbaijan to stay top, Steven Gerrard and David Beckham netting.

Poland are still just a point behind the leaders after Maciej Zurawski headed the only goal with three minutes left against Northern Ireland.

But Wales finally saw their faint hopes of World Cup qualification disappear.

Rene Aufhauser's late goal helped Austria claim a 1-0 victory after keeper Helge Payer denied Craig Bellamy and Ryan Giggs on several occasions.

GROUP SEVEN

Serbia & Montenegro maintained their two-point advantage over Spain at the top of Group Seven after a goalless draw between the sides in Belgrade.

Marius Stankevicius was sent off soon after equalising for Lithuania in their 1-1 draw in Bosnia-Herzegovina, after Elvir Bolic put the home side ahead.

It leaves Spain and Lithuania on nine points, two behind Serbia & Montenegro.

In the other game, Daniel Van Buyten got the winner as Belgium battled to a 2-1 victory over San Marino.

GROUP EIGHT

With previous leaders Sweden not in action, Croatia moved to the top of Group Eight by beating Malta 3-0.

Dado Prso opened the scoring with two first-half strikes, before Igor Tudor fired in a third with 10 minutes left to leave them a point clear of Sweden.

In the night's other game, Hungary conjured up a last-minute equaliser from Peter Rajczi to draw 1-1 with Bulgaria, who stay third in the table.

Stilian Petrov had put the visitors ahead after 52 minutes in Budapest.

from BBC Sport.