LONDON- French pride took a fresh hammering on Saturday when the national team were smashed 3-1 in Austria as Europe’s big guns began their 2010 World Cup qualifying campaigns.

The day also witnessed Italy snatching a 2-1 stoppage-time win in Cyprus, European champions Spain edged Bosnia 1-0, Germany crushed Liechtenstein 6-0 and England were booed before beating Andorra 2-0.

France coach Raymond Domenech found it a hard time to justify the debacle Domenech, who is bound to come under renewed fire from the French media, had promised that France would come victorious in Vienna after the fiasco at Euro 2008.

However, goals from Marc Janko, Rene Aufhauser and Andreas Ivanschitz left them reeling in Group Seven as Austria marked the first competitive game of new coach Karel Brueckner with a magnificent victory.

“It’s never nice to lose,” Domenech told later to reporters. “I have my feelings about what happened but I need to watch the game on video to confirm my impressions.”

World champions Italy made a grand start as Marcello Lippi began a second term in charge of the Azzurri, having steered them to 2006 World Cup glory over France.

Two goals from Antonio Di Natale, the second a stoppage-time winner,helped them to grab a 2-1 victory over Cyprus in their Group Eight opener in Larnaca.

Former Real Madrid coach Vicente Del Bosque began his reign as coach of Spain with a home victory in Group Five against Bosnia, courtesy of David Villa’s second half strike.
Del Bosque took over from Luis Aragones after Spain’s Euro 2008 final victory over Germany.

The Germans were found more convincing on Saturday in their Group Four demolition of Liechtenstein, that helped by two goals from Lukas Podolski either side of halftime. England, with Italian coach Fabio Capello kicking off his first international qualifying campaign, garnered a victory against Andorra in Barcelona in Group Six, although the travelling England fans booed the team at halftime.

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