Football
ESPN staff 8y

Spain and Switzerland both qualify for Euro 2016 as England stay perfect

Spain wrapped up qualification for next summer's European Championships with a 4-0 win over Luxembourg but lost two key players to injury on Friday.

The 2012 European champions had to make two substitutions within 33 minutes as David Silva was brought down by a hefty challenge and Alvaro Morata was stretchered off after colliding with two defenders.

Santi Cazorla opened the scoring with a goal in the 42nd minute after Luxembourg keeper Jonathan Joubert could only parry Pedro Rodriguez's shot into his path.

Paco Alcacer, who came on to replace Morata, added Spain's second from the edge of the area after receiving a perfect through ball from Cesc Fabregas. Alcacer scored again from close range after Jordi Alba's pass from the left side, though replays showed the ball appeared to have crossed the line before Alba cut it back to Alcacer.

Cazorla scored his second goal and Spain's fourth on the night with a low right-foot shot from outside the area.

Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque was pleased as Spain won Group C.

"We have picked up many points, but it was not easy, especially after the loss in Slovakia early on," he said. "We had some moments of difficulty, but we have done well as a team, been defensively very good, and today we made plenty of chances and might have scored even more."

Also in Group C, Slovakia's hopes of qualifying directly took a major hit as they lost 1-0 at home to Belarus.

Stanislav Dragun provided the goal for the visitors in the first half, and even Aleksandr Martynovich's second-half dismissal could not help Slovakia to find an equaliser.

The result left Slovakia level on points in second place with Ukraine, who won 2-0 at Macedonia.

Yevhen Seleznyov scored the first goal from a second-half penalty, while Artem Kravets added a late second.

On the final matchday, Slovakia travel to Luxembourg while Ukraine host Spain. If both sides have the same result, Slovakia will qualify automatically based on their head-to-head results.

In Group E, already-qualified England maintained their 100 percent record with a 2-0 win over Estonia.

Theo Walcott beat the offside trap to finish from close range for England just before half-time.

Raheem Sterling made it 2-0 with a goal in the 85th minute. Jamie Vardy latched on to Harry Kane's flick-on from a long punt up field from Joe Hart and squared for Sterling, who had the simplest of finishes.

Switzerland also completed their qualification with a 7-0 win at home to San Marino that included three penalties.

Seven different players found the net for Switzerland, with Michael Lang, Gokhan Inler, Admir Mehmedi, Johan Djourou, Pajtim Kasami, Breel Embolo and Eren Derdiyok on target. 

Switzerland's qualification was not sealed until Slovenia conceded a late equaliser in Lithuania and could not find a winner following a floodlight failure.

Valter Birsa's penalty opened the scoring, but Lithuania's Arvydas Novikovas equalised four minutes from time to put Slovenia's hopes of even a playoff place in danger after the 1-1 draw.

In Group G, Russia stayed in good position to qualify with a 2-1 win in Moldova.

Sergei Ignashevich made the breakthrough in the 58th minute by blasting the ball into the net after Artyom Dzyuba knocked on a free kick.

and Artem Dzyuba doubled the advantage 20 minutes later with a tap-in when Ignashevich headed on a corner from Dmitry Kombarov.

Eugeniu Cebotaru rekindled Moldovan hopes with a header in the 85th minute.

Russia stayed in second place, two points ahead of Sweden who won 2-0 in Liechtenstein thanks to goals by Martin Berg and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who also missed a penalty.

Berg scored off a Jimmy Durmaz pass in the 18th minute for Sweden, whose talismanic striker Ibrahimovic scored his 58th international goal with a low shot in the 55th minute.

Ibrahimovic had earlier seen a penalty saved by Liechtenstein goalkeeper Peter Jehle shortly before half-time.

Sweden are assured of at least a playoff spot after Montenegro lost 3-2 to Austria, who have already qualified.

Marko Arnautovic's 81st-minute equaliser and -- after Mirko Vucinic was sent off for dissent -- a stoppage-time winner by Marcel Sabitzer from the edge of the penalty area ended Montenegro's campaign. A win would have kept their hopes of a playoff spot alive.

^ Back to Top ^