Italy veteran Andrea Pirlo scored one goal and created another as the Azzurri labored to a 3-1 win over Armenia in World Cup qualifying yesterday.

Pirlo fired Italy ahead in the 11th minute from the penalty spot following Hrayr Mkoyan's handball. But Armenia leveled in the 28th through Shakhtar Donetsk's impressive Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Daniele De Rossi headed Italy back in front shortly after the hour mark before Pablo Osvaldo sealed the result with his third goal in as many qualifying matches.

It is Italy's 33rd match without defeat in World Cup and European Championship qualifying matches.

Italy was without Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli, who - although initially included in the starting lineup Thursday - had not recovered from flu in time. He was replaced by Juventus forward Sebastian Giovinco.

Italy started brightly and could have been ahead in the fifth minute but Armenia goalkeeper Roman Berezovsky did brilliantly at full stretch to keep out Pirlo's freekick, which seemed destined for the top right corner.

Riccardo Montolivo did well minutes later to carve out some space and cross in towards Claudio Marchisio but the ball was marginally too far away for the Juventus midfielder.

Italy was ahead shortly afterwards when it was awarded a penalty.

Domenico Criscito - back in the squad for the first time since being questioned over a match-fixing scandal - raced down the left flank before putting in a cross that Montolivo sidefooted straight at the goalkeeper. The rebound fell back to Montolivo, whose effort was blocked by Hrayr Mkoyan's arm.

Pirlo stepped up and sent Berezovsky the wrong way, firing low into the bottom left corner.

Armenia leveled almost immediately but Gianluigi Buffon did well to tip Aras Ozbiliz's free-kick over the bar.

It was back on level terms when Mkhitaryan collected the ball near the halfway line, evaded Andrea Barzagli and raced away from Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci before firing into the bottom right corner.

The in-form Mkhitaryan is currently the leading scorer in the Ukrainian league, with 14 goals in 11 matches.

The Italy players were furious because they wanted the game to have been stopped just before Mkhitaryan got the ball because of a clash of heads between Armenia midfielder Davit Manoyan and Italy defender Christian Maggio.

Armenia could have taken the lead seconds after halftime but Artur Edigaryan's fierce effort flew over the bar after a lucky deflection from Criscito.

It went even closer moments later when Giovinco turned in the area to carve out some space for himself but fired over.

Italy could have had a penalty when Karlen Mkrtchyan appeared to handle in the area but the referee waved play on.

Armenia almost took the lead when Mkhitaryan raced down the right flank and crossed towards an unmarked Yura Movsisyan whose volley was brilliantly saved by Buffon.

Italy restored its advantage shortly afterwards when De Rossi headed in Pirlo's cross off the underside of the crossbar.

Armenia battled hard for the equalizer and Movsisyan would have had an almost certain goal after a mistake by Bonucci but for a sliding, last-ditch tackle by Maggio.

Italy sealed the result when Osvaldo headed in De Rossi's freekick.

Wayne Rooney celebrated being handed the captain’s armband with a brace as England hit five past San Marino.

Roy Hodgson’s men were frustrated by the minnows for 35 minutes but skipper Rooney landed the first blow from the spot before Danny Welbeck flicked the hosts into a two-goal lead.

Rooney and Welbeck both got on the scoresheet again after the break before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain bagged his first international goal.

England were 200-1 ON with some bookmakers to win against the 207th ranked side in the world.

And, predictably, they were soon on the offensive with San Marino stopper Aldo Junior Simoncini called into action to tip Oxlade-Chamberlain’s 25-yarder over the bar.

Simoncini then raced off his line to block an effort from Theo Walcott but in the process had both feet off the ground and clattered the Arsenal striker in the chest.

Walcott needed treatment and though he was able to get back on his feet, he was soon hauled off to be replaced by Aaron Lennon who was making his first appearance since the 2010 World Cup clash with Algeria.

Rooney was guilty of a glaring miss when he headed wide from close range after getting in front of Fabio Vitaioli to connect with a Tom Cleverley cross.

England continued to be frustrated, with a long-range effort from Michael Carrick hitting the bar and Welbeck sending the rebound against a post.

It was beginning to look like San Marino might got into half-time level for the first time in seven years.

But Rooney eventually broke the deadlock from the penalty spot after Welbeck was brought down by Simoncini.

They doubled their lead just three minutes later thanks to a deft finish from the England skipper’s Manchester United strike partner.

Lennon’s cross was just behind Welbeck but he dragged the ball back with his foot and turned it past Simoncini in similar style to his goal against Sweden in the summer’s Euros.

England started the second half in the same vein as the entire opening 45 minutes — on the attack.

Simoncini blocked a low shot from Carrick with his legs and Christian Brolli was relieved to see the ball rebound onto him and just wide.

Baines was having another impressive game and was only inches wide with a 25-yard free-kick.

San Marino had their first shot at goal after 66 minutes but Danilo sliced his shot well wide.

Hodgson handed Jonjo Shelvey his first cap as a replacement for Carrick.

And Rooney finally made it 3-0 after 70 minutes with a low shot past the dive of Simoncini after Baines had cut the ball back.

Just like in the first half, Welbeck followed up his club-mate’s strike with a goal of his own two minutes later as he poked in Cleverley’s right-wing cross from close range.

And then The Ox made it five as he neatly clipped the ball into the far corner from 15 yards.Romania has won its third consecutive World Cup qualifier with a 1-0 victory over Turkey in Istanbul on Friday.

Gheorghe Grozav scored from outside the penalty area to put Romania ahead in the 45th minute.

Turkey failed to find an equalizer in the second half and now looks set to miss out on a playoff spot from Group D that also includes the Netherlands, Hungary, Estonia and Andorra.

Ten-man Bulgaria was held to a 1-1 draw by visiting Denmark in their qualifying match.