Euro qualifiers PHOTOS: Italy win in Buffon's 150th match; Iceland go through

Belgium make Wales wait after Hazard’s strike, while Czechs beat Latvia to qualify

Daniele De Rossi converted an early penalty and was later sent off as Italy beat Bulgaria 1-0 in a Euro 2016 qualifier which saw goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon win his 150th cap for the hosts on Sunday.

De Rossi scored with a twice-taken penalty in the sixth minute but blotted his copybook early in the second half when he was dismissed after clashing with Iliyan Mitsanski, who was also sent off.

Buffon, who won his first cap in a World Cup qualifier away to Russia in 1997, rescued Italy with a difficult save from Giorgi Milanov in stoppage time.

The win took Italy top of Group H with 18 points from eight games and kept them on course for a top-two finish which would ensure a place in France next year.

Playmaker Andrea Pirlo was left out as coach Antonio Conte made several changes following his team's much-criticised, lacklustre performance in their 1-0 win over Malta on Thursday.

Italy nearly went ahead in the first minute when Graziano Pelle's shot as saved by Bozhidar Mitrev and Stephan El Shaarawy tried to score with an overhead kick from the rebound but sent his effort over the bar.

But Italy quickly won a penalty when Antonio Candreva was felled.

De Rossi stepped up and, although his first effort was ruled out for encroachment, he kept his cool on the second attempt, again sending his shot low to the Mitrev's left.

Buffon came to the rescue for the first time in the 18th minute with a superb save to block Mitsanski's low shot on the counterattack.

Italy created and missed a flurry of chances and had to be content with a single-goal advantage at halftime.

Tempers flared 11 minutes into the second half when Mitsanski fouled De Rossi, the two exchanged kicks and were both sent off.

Todor Nedelev then gave Italy a fright when he curled a shot just over the crossbar.

Bulgaria came to life in the closing 20 minutes, creating a number of dangerous situations, and Milanov tested Buffon with a swerving, long-range effort which the 37-year-old veteran did well to parry.

Late Hazard strike gives Belgium win in Cyprus

Belgium's Eden Hazard struck a late winner to earn a 1-0 victory away to Cyprus on Sunday as they moved closer to a place at Euro 2016 but the result means Group B leaders Wales must wait to secure qualification.

An unmarked Hazard fired past keeper Antonis Giorgallides after substitute Dries Martens' pull back with Belgium having caught out the tiring Cypriots on the counter-attack.

After eight matches Wales have 18 points, after being held to a 0-0 draw by Israel in Cardiff earlier on Sunday, with second-placed Belgium on 17 and Israel on 13. Cyprus have nine.

The result means Belgium are guaranteed at least a playoff spot due to their superior head-to-head record with Bosnia, who have 11 points after beating Andorra 3-0 at home.

They will guarantee a place at the finals in France if they beat bottom team Andorra in their next match in October.

Sunday's match appeared to be heading for a goalless draw as Belgium were restricted to long-range efforts and Cyprus will feel hard done by after holding their own for most of the game.

Marc Wilmots Belgium side, ranked second in the world, looked sluggish from the start and it was no surprise when the disappointing Christian Benteke was taken off at halftime.

His replacement, Liverpool teammate Divock Origi, fared no better without decent service but Hazard's close-range strike ensured Cyprus were again undone by a late goal.

Belgium had come close in the 19th minute after a clever interchange between midfielders Kevin De Bruyne and Radja Nainggolan saw the latter test Giorgallides for the first time.

Belgium keeper Thibault Courtois was finally tested just past the half-hour mark when Marios Nikolaou;'s shot from the edge of the box was easily saved.

In the 40th minute Giorgallides saved again when a clever one-two between Benteke and De Bruyne saw Manchester City's new signing through one-on-one but he fired straight at the keeper.

A minute into the second half Hazard's fierce shot from the edge of the area stung Giorgallides's hands and two minutes later a speculative long-range free-kick from De Bruyne was pushed around the post by the keeper.

On the hour mark Belgium came close again as Courtois caught the ball from a corner and threw it to Nainggolan whose right-foot curling effort went just wide of the far post.

Hazard's 80th minute free kick was repelled by Giorgallides but he popped up again five minutes later to tuck away the only goal leaving Belgium within touching distance of qualifying.

Czechs beat Latvia to qualify for Euro 2016

Czech Republic qualified for Euro 2016 as one of the top two teams from Group A after surviving a late fightback to beat hosts Latvia 2-1 on Sunday, joining England as early qualifiers.

David Limbersky and Vladimir Darida scored the first-half goals that lifted the Czechs to 19 points, out of the reach of third-placed Turkey (12) and the Netherlands (10) with two matches to play next month.

Iceland, on 18 points, can claim a berth later on Sunday with at least a draw when they host bottom-placed Kazakhstan.

The Czechs finished nervously amid a late rally from Latvia, who pulled a goal back through Arturs Zjurzins with 17 minutes left and then gallantly tried to find an equaliser.

But it was the Czechs' early dominance that laid the platform for success with two goals inside the first half hour. Limbersky’s opening goal came after 13 minutes at the end of a smart short-corner routine with a powerful shot from close range as Latvia’s defence was caught napping.

Darida drove home a shot from the edge of the penalty area to double the lead.

Latvia rarely threatened until Zjurzins turned inside the Czech defence and had a chance right in front of goal in the 35th minute but saw his effort brilliantly parried away by Petr Cech, brought into action for the first time.

The Czech captain also foiled a touch on by Igors Tarasovs from a dangerous free kick just before the hour mark but was beaten by Zjurzins’s effort in the 73rd minute.

Latvia were applauded off for their late efforts as the relieved Czechs celebrated in front of their 300 travelling fans as they booked their place at the finals in France next year.

Iceland celebrate after qualifying for Euro 2016

Iceland's 0-0 draw with Kazakhstan sparked jubilant scenes as they qualified for the finals of a major tournament for the first time on Sunday with a place at Euro 2016.

The result ensured they will finish in the top two in Group A as they stand seven points ahead of third-placed Turkey with two rounds of matches to play.

Knowing a point would be enough to ensure qualification for the finals in France, the home crowd urged their side on with chants of "Afram Island!" on a rainy night in Reykjavik.

They were rewarded with a typically committed, battling performance filled with chances but no goals.

Gylfi Sigurdsson, Kolbeinn Sigthorsson and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson all went close for Iceland but the Kazakhs stood firm to take their second point in the campaign.

At the final whistle the Iceland squad danced in a ring on the pitch before going to celebrate with fans.

Drawn in a group containing the Netherlands, Turkey and the Czech Republic, as well as Latvia, Iceland were facing opponents who had cities with greater populations than their entire country.

Despite being tipped for second or possibly third place at best, the islanders have so far recorded a stunning six wins, one draw and one loss in the qualifiers, comprehensively beating and often outplaying their more heralded rivals.

Their technical skills and excellent physical conditioning have made them hard to beat, but it is the tactical nous of wily Swedish coach Lars Lagerback that has helped get the most out of a limited pool of players.

Lagerback has steered them to top spot in the group, level on 19 points with the Czech Republic, while Turkey have 12 points after beating Netherlands 3-0 earlier on Sunday.

Croatia's fate in the balance after bad results

Croatia coach Niko Kovac and captain Luka Modric have fallen out after picking up only one point in their last two Euro 2016 qualifiers in Azerbaijan and Norway.

Following Sunday's 2-0 defeat by the Norwegians, Kovac accused his players of producing less than a fully committed performance but Modric was quick to differ with his boss.

"That's the coach's opinion but I am totally sure that every player out there left everything on the pitch," Modric told Croatian media.

"Everyone is entitled to an opinion," he said.

"We were poor and our game plan fell apart but we still tried our best. Unfortunately, things went in the wrong direction."

The first signs of a rift between the two appeared in Friday's 0-0 draw at Azerbaijan, when Kovac substituted Modric midway through the second half and the Real Madrid playmaker was clearly unhappy with the decision.

The 29-year-old said after the game he had no idea why he came off and added it was a question for Kovac, who has come under strong pressure from local media to step down after a pair of tepid performances.

The results left Croatia's chances of reaching next year's 24-team tournament in France in the balance.

They are third in Group H on a provisional tally of 15 points from eight games, three adrift of leaders Italy and one behind Norway.

Governing body UEFA had deducted a point from Croatia's tally for a racist incident in June's 1-1 home draw with Italy, when the Balkan country's fans carved out a swastika on the pitch with a chemical agent.

Croatia appealed the verdict but if UEFA uphold it at a hearing later this month, they will be reduced to 14 points ahead of their last two qualifiers at home to Bulgaria and away to Malta.

The top two from each of the nine groups and the best third-placed team qualify automatically along with hosts France, while the other eight third-placed teams enter a two-legged playoff for the remaining four berths.