GDANSK, Poland (AFP) — Defending champions Spain yesterday beat Croatia, 1-0, ending Balkan dreams of a Euro 2012 knock-out berth, as Italy ran out 2-0 winners against the Republic of Ireland to qualify in second spot in Group C.

Vicente Del Bosque and Slaven Bilic’s sides were goalless in Gdansk at half-time in a lacklustre affair from which Spain only needed a draw to top the group and go through.

But with Italy leading in the other game, top spot for La Roja looked uncertain until substitute Jesus Navas linked up with Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta and the Sevilla man crashed the ball into an empty net as the Croatian defence looked on.

There was more than the suspicion of off-side in both men’s runs into the box but the Croatian appeal about the 88th-minute goal was to no avail.

In Poznan, western Poland, Giovanni Trapattoni’s Ireland were beaten by two goals in each half from Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli.

The Italians — who trailed both Spain and Croatia by two points going into the game with the Irish having already being eliminated after two defeats — took the lead in the 35th minute with a Cassano header from a corner.

But Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given will be disappointed after he spooned away what seemed like a straightforward shot to give away the set-piece kick in the first place.

Given, however, could do little about Italy’s second goal, with Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli holding off Ireland defend John O’Shea on another corner to volley home from the six-yard line on the stroke of full-time.

As group winners, Spain, with seven points, now play the runners-up of Group D in Donetsk, Ukraine, on Saturday, while runners-up Italy, who finished on five points, take on the winners of Group D in the capital Kiev on Sunday.

The last quarter-final qualifiers will be decided today, when Ukraine take on England in Donetsk and France play Sweden in Group D. Every team except Sweden can still qualify.

UEFA, meanwhile, banned Denmark’s Nicklas Bendtner for one match and fined him 100,000 Euros (£80,000, US$126,000) for flashing the sponsored waistband of his underpants while celebrating a goal during his side’s three to two defeat to Portugal.

The suspension means the Sunderland forward will miss Denmark’s next World Cup qualifier for the tournament in Brazil in 2016.

Bendtner can appeal, but the online betting firm whose name appeared on his underpants said the decision was “hysterical and deeply cynical” while the fine was more severe than those handed out to football federations for more serious incidents.

UEFA president Michel Platini elsewhere condemned Croatia fans who racially abused Italy’s Mario Balotelli in their group match last week, revealing that he had previously warned football’s authorities in the Balkan nation about the problem.