Spain, Germany and Italy won Friday to move to the brink of qualifying for next years World Cup, while Cristiano Ronaldos first international hat trick kept Portugal on course for the tournament in Brazil. The Netherlands needed an injury time penalty kick from Robin van Persie for a 2-2 tie at 85th-ranked Estonia, and England moved atop its group with a 4-0 rout of Moldova as Danny Welbeck scored twice following Steven Gerrards first England goal in three years and Rickie Lamberts second in two games. Defending world champion Spain won 2-0 at Finland on goals by Jordi Alba and Alvaro Negredo, opening a three-point lead in Group I over France, which tied 0-0 at Georgia. The nine European group winners qualify for next Junes 32-nation field, and the top eight second-place teams advance to playoffs. In late games in North America and the Caribbean, the United States lost 3-1 at Costa Rica, Mexico was upset 2-1 by visiting Honduras and Panama was held to a 0-0 tie at home by last-place Jamaica. Only five teams are assured World Cup berths thus far: host Brazil and Asian qualifiers Australia, Iran, Japan and South Korea. Germany and Italy would clinch first place in their groups with wins Tuesday. Germany beat Austria 3-0 as Miroslav Klose scored his 68th international goal, tying Gerd Muellers German record. Italy defeated Bulgaria 1-0 on Alberto Gilardinos 38th-minute goal. Ronaldo scored in the 68th, 77th and 83rd minutes as Portugal rallied for a 4-2 win at Northern Ireland. While he has 20 hat tricks for Real Madrid and one for Manchester United, he had never scored three goals in a match for his country. With 43 international goals, he moved two ahead of Eusebio on Portugals career and trails only Pauletas 47. Portugal, which has two games left, opened a two-point lead in Group F over Russia, which has three matches remaining. Belgium opened a five-point lead in Group A with a 2-0 win at Scotland as Steven Defour and Kevin Mirallas scored. Bosnia-Herzegovina lost 1-0 at home to Slovakia and leads Group G on goal difference over Greece, which won 1-0 at Liechtenstein on Costas Mitroglous 72nd-minute goal. Ukraine routed San Marino 9-0 and is one point behind England, which leads Group H on goal difference over Montenegro, which tied 1-1 at Poland. Crowd violence marred Romanias 3-0 win over Hungary in Group D. Five fans and two police officers were injured in pregame skirmishes. Serbia and Croatia drew 1-1 in a heated match between former Yugoslav territories, eliminating the Serbs from contention. In CONCACAF, Honduras won 2-1 at Mexico, sending El Tri to its second-ever home loss in qualifying and first since 2001 against Costa Rica. Oribe Peralta put El Tri ahead in the sixth minute at Mexico Citys Estadio Azteca, but Jerry Bengtson tied the score in the 66th after goalkeeper Jose Corona spilled Oscar Boniek Garcias shot, and Carlo Costly put the Catrachos ahead two minutes later off a long clearance. Costa Rica beat the visiting United States 3-1 on goals by Johnny Acosta, Celso Borges and Joel Campbell, avenging a March loss in a Colorado snow storm. Clint Dempsey converted a penalty kick in his 100th American appearance. Panama was held to a 0-0 tie by visiting Jamaica. The Ticos moved into first place with 14 points, one ahead of the U.S. with three games remaining. Honduras is third with 10 points, Mexico fourth with eight points and Panama is another point back after behind held to a 0-0 tie at home by last-place Jamaica. The top three nations qualify, and the fourth-place finisher goes to a playoff against New Zealand. In South America, Luis Suarez converted a 43rd-minute penalty kick and added a 67th-minute goal, lifting Uruguay to a 2-1 win at Peru, which got an 84th-minute goal from Jefferson Farfan. Colombia won 1-0 at home against Ecuador on James Rodriguezs 31st-minute goal; Paraguay routed visiting Bolivia 4-0 on goals by Jonathan Fabbro, Roque Santa Cruz, Richard Ortiz and Gustavo Gomez; Chile defeated Venezuela 3-0 on goals by Eduardo Vargas, Marcos Gonzalez and Arturo Vidal. Argentina and Colombia lead with 26 points each, while Chile has 24, Ecuador 21 and Uruguay 19. Venezuela trails with 16, two in front of Peru. The top four teams qualify. In the first leg of the Asian playoff, Uzbekistan tied 1-1 at Jordan. The second leg is Tuesday, and the winner advances to a playoff against South Americas fifth-place team. Iman Marshall Youth Jersey . A knee to the thigh might have stung him the most, but his sixth straight double-double made up for the brief burst of pain. Trace McSorley Jersey . Not bad for a defenceman. The goal, that is. Although the shuffling dance steps werent bad, either. Barrie scored 55 seconds into overtime, Semyon Varlamov stopped 29 shots, and the Avalanche moved a step closer to their first playoff berth in four years with a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night. http://www.ravensrookiestore.com/Ravens-Justice-Hill-Jersey/ . Although Olivetti, a qualifier, had 13 aces, he failed to force a single break-point chance on Gasquets serve and lost his own three times. Gasquet next plays third-seeded Jerzy Janowicz of Poland, who won had 18 aces in a 6-2, 6-4 win against seventh-seeded Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France. Iman Marshall Jersey . -- Center Max Unger and tight end Zach Miller are both probable for the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday against the New York Giants and Percy Harvins recovery continues to be slow. Marquise Brown Youth Jersey . This weeks Raptors Report puts a bow on Gays brief, 10-month tenure in Toronto and ponders how his absence will affect the teams offence. Are they a better team without him? In addition to acquiring some valuable cap flexibility, what impact will the four incoming players have this season and beyond? Click here for the Dec.MIAMI - A lawyer for the University of Miamis former pitching coach said Wednesday that Alex Rodriguez admitted to federal investigators he used steroids supplied by the owner of a now-closed South Florida clinic.Attorney Frank Quintero Jr., who represents Lazaro Laser Collazo in his defence against charges of conspiracy to distribute performance-enhancing drugs, told The Associated Press that the New York Yankees third baseman confessed to steroids use, according to Drug Enforcement Administration documents provided by the government to defence lawyers.The Miami Herald first reported Rodriguezs admission Wednesday, saying he met with DEA agents on Jan. 29 at the agencys South Florida field office. Given a grant of immunity from prosecution, Rodriguez told investigators he did use banned substances between late 2010 and October 2012 supplied by Anthony Bosch, who owned the Biogenesis of America clinic in Coral Gables.Rodriguez has publicly denied any use of banned substances during his time with the Yankees, which began in 2004.The three-time AL MVP acknowledged in 2009 that he using performance-enhancing drugs while with Texas from 2001-03.Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig suspended Rodriguez for 211 games in August 2013 for violations of the sports drug agreement and labour contract, and the penalty was cut to the 2014 season in January by arbitrator Fredric Horowitz.Rodriguez proclaimed his innocence and sued in federal court, then withdrew the suit and accepted the penalty.The Herald reported Bosch told the DEA that A-Rod agreed to pay for steroids for 20 Biogenesis customers after the clinic closed to keep Bosch from talking about his involvement. That could prompt MLB to investigate whether Rodriguez could be suspended again under the sports drug agreement for violations related to the sale and distribution of PEDs, which are separate from the prohibitions on personal use.An attorney for Rodriguez did not immediately respond to a telephone call seeking comment. The Yankees declined comment.The DEA report is among the evidence federal prosecutors have assembled against Rodriguez cousin Yuri Sucart, Collazo and others accused of supplying testosterone and human growth hormone to MLB players and other athletes linked to Biogenesis.Quintero told the AP he has a copy but cannot release it under federal evidence rules.I can for your report confirm that the report by the Herald is accurate as to what Rodriguez said, Quintero said in an email. I dont have a dog in this fight. My client has no involvement with ANY major league players concerning the use of banned substances.ddddddddddddNeither the DEA nor the Miami U.S. Attorneys office commented. However, in a separate public court filing, prosecutors made clear Rodriguez would be a star witness if the case against Sucart and the others goes to trial. It is currently set to begin Feb. 9 in Miami federal court.Rodriguez has a prominent role in the governments proof of the ... conspiracies to distribute testosterone and human growth hormone, the prosecutors wrote.In addition to A-Rod, Manny Ramirez, Ryan Braun, Melky Cabrera, Nelson Cruz, Francisco Cervelli, Yasmani Grandal, Cesar Puello and Jordany Valdespin have been granted immunity by the federal government, the Herald reportedIn their filing, prosecutors said Rodriguez paid Sucart $900,000 and provided him and his family with medical insurance, a vehicle and a house in return for Sucarts silence regarding Rodriguezs use of banned substances.According to the Herald, the DEA report goes into great detail about how Rodriguez paid Bosch for testosterone cream and lozenges known as gummies and human growth hormone injections into the players stomach. Bosch has pleaded guilty in the case and is co-operating in the prosecution of the other men.Rodriguez said Bosch told him the HGH would help with sleep, weight, hair growth, eyesight and muscle recovery, the newspaper quoted the DEA report as saying. Bosch also gave Rodriguez tips on how to avoid detection in MLB drug tests.Rodriguez told agents it was Sucart who introduced him in 2010 to Bosch, who falsely posed as a physician nicknamed Dr. T. Rodriguez paid mainly in cash and Bosch promised secrecy, although he would eventually begin to co-operate with MLB and federal investigators.In the DEA report, the Herald said Rodriguez admitted he also helped pay for Boschs criminal defence, including $25,000 as a down payment to retain one attorney.In total, 14 MLB players were suspended last year following the sports Biogenesis investigation. None have been charged with crimes.Rodriguez, who turns 40 next summer, played in just 44 games last year and hit seven home runs to increase his total to 654, fifth on the career list.He is owed $61 million for the final three years of his contract with the Yankees. He could receive an additional $6 million each for five milestones that the team designates as historic achievements.___AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this report.____Follow Curt Anderson on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Miamicurt ' ' '