Paris (AFP)

England, Germany, Italy, Sweden won Thursday without difficulty their first qualifying match for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, while Spain was hung at home by Greece (1-1) .

La Roja opened the scoring in the 33rd minute by Alvaro Morata served by Koke.

But Anastasios Bakasetas equalized for Greece from the penalty spot in the 57th minute.

England made short work of San Marino, 5-0 at home at Wembley, with goals from James Ward Prowse (14th), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (double 21st, 53rd), Raheem Sterling captain (31st) and Ollie Watkins (83rd).

Four-time world champions Mannshaft dominated Iceland 3-0 in Duisburg.

The German Football Federation (DFB) had confirmed the match to be held despite the positive test for Covid-19 from striker Jonas Hoffmann.

Bayern midfielder Leon Goretzka opened the scoring in the 3rd minute, imitated by Chelsea midfielder Kai Havertz 4 minutes later (7th), Ilkay Gündogan concluding the score in the 53rd minute.

Italy, also four times world champion but who had missed the qualification for the last World Cup, ensured at home against Northern Ireland, beaten 2-0.

The goals were scored by Domenico Berardi (14th) and Ciro Immobile (39th).

- Ibra, winning return -

In Sweden, the match against Georgia marked the return of Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the jersey of "Blagult" (yellow and blue) after five years of absence.

At 39, the striker with 62 selection goals served Viktor Claesson in the 35th minute for the only goal of the game.

Scotland and Austria drew 2-2, as did Hungary and Poland (3-3).

A little earlier, Switzerland won 3-1 in Sofia against Bulgaria, after scoring 3 goals in twelve minutes (Breel Embolo 7th, Haris Seferović 10th and Steven Zuber 12th), setting a new record for "La Nati" : never had she scored so many goals so quickly.

Denmark went on to win in Isräel, with a 13th-minute goal from Barça striker Martin Braithwaite, served by Jonas Wind.

The latter worsened the score in the 67th.

The qualifications of the European zone for the World Cup-2022 continue this weekend, the second day being spread over Saturday and Sunday.

© 2021 AFP