Germany have been left stunned by their first loss in World Cup qualifying in 20 years but there was no such trouble for England, Italy, Spain and France.
While England and Italy secured their third straight victories on the road to Qatar 2022, Germany were left shell-shocked by their 2-1 home defeat to North Macedonia in Duisberg.
It brought an end to a 35-match unbeaten run in World Cup qualifying for Germany – whose only other defeats at this level came in 2001 in a 5-1 thumping by England and in 1985 to Portugal, when they were still West Germany.
Somewhat improbably, the Germans find themselves third in Group J after three games, behind North Macedonia and 99th-ranked Armenia, who beat Romania 3-2 for a third straight win having trailed after 87 minutes in Yerevan.
Antoine Griezmann secured World Cup holders France a 1-0 win away to Bosnia-Herzegovina while Spain beat Kosovo 3-1 at home despite a goalkeeping blunder from Unai Simon.
Italy won 2-0 at Lithuania to top Group C by three points having played once more than second-placed Switzerland.
England stayed perfect in Group I with a 2-1 home win over Poland while Denmark lead Group F with a 100 per cent record after a 4-0 romp in Austria.
In Joachim Loew’s final World Cup qualifier as coach, North Macedonia secured a famous win thanks to a Goran Pandev goal and Eljif Elmas’ winner five minutes from time.
Ilkay Guendogan had levelled from the spot midway through the second half but Germany struggled to create all game and had little complaint at losing.
“I don’t know how to explain it,” Guendogan, who was captain in the absence of the injured Toni Kroos, said.
France started with a slip against Ukraine but they top Group D on seven points after Griezmann converted a well-worked short corner on the hour.
Ukraine are second on three points after being held 1-1 at home by Kazakhstan.
Poland were without injured Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski at Wembley where they lost 2-1 to England thanks to Harry Maguire’s late volley.
Harry Kane put England ahead from the penalty spot on 19 minutes but though Jakub Moder took advantage of a mistake by John Stones to equalise, the hosts maintained their winning run.
Hungary are two points behind in second after a 4-1 win at Andorra while Albania won 2-0 at San Marino.
Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres put Spain 2-0 up against Kosovo, who looked to have got back into the game when Simon was beaten to the ball by Besar Halimi who found the unguarded goal from distance.
But substitute Gerard Moreno nodded in a corner to ensure Spain top the group with seven points from three games, ahead of Sweden, while Greece drew 1-1 with Georgia.
Italy lead Group C as Italy coach Roberto Mancini equalled Marcello Lippi’s record of 25 unbeaten games in charge of the Azzurri.
Stefano Sensi, with a deflection, and Ciro Immobile with an injury-time penalty put Italy in pole position to qualify having missed out in 2018 for the first time in 60 years.
Northern Ireland and Bulgaria drew 0-0 to go level on one point with Lithuania.
Denmark dominate Group F having scored 14 goals in three games after Joakim Maehle and Pierre-Emile Hoejbjerg scored in between a double from Andreas Skov Olsen in Austria.
Scotland are second after beating the Faroe Islands 4-0 while Israel won 4-1 in Moldova.
© AAP
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