Champions Spain qualify for Euros routing Luxembourg

Spain’s 4-0 success at home to Group C minnows Luxembourg secured top spot with a game to spare and Del Bosque’s side will be chasing an unprecedented third straight continental crown at the tournament in France next year.

Spain players celebrate a goal durng their Euro 2016 Group C qualification soccer match against Luxembourg in Logrono, Spain.

Spain’s 4-0 win came courtesy of two goals apiece from Santi Cazorla and Paco Alcacer.

Silva, 29, was brought down by a hefty challenge from Luxembourg defender Lars Gerson.

The margin was extended in the second half, starting with a brace from Paco Alcacer to further strengthen the Valencia man’s case for a place in the starting XI, before Cazorla completed the scoring with his second.

Jan Kozak’s side lost 1-0 at home to Belarus after Stanislav Dragun’s first-half strike, despite the dismissal of Alyaksandr Martynovich.

Slovenia has a three-point advantage over fourth-place Estonia and goes into the final qualifier at winless San Marino with a plus-nine goal difference.

Spain are looking to bounce back from their disappointing performance at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where they failed to retain the trophy they won four years earlier in South Africa, going out in the group stage.

Theo Walcott bagged his seventh goal of the season as England maintained their 100 per cent qualifying record with a narrow and largely uninspiring 2-0 win over Estonia.

But Russia’s 2-1 win in Moldova leaves them needing only a win at home over Montenegro on Monday to qualify in second place after full back Sergei Ignashevich and forward Arten Dzyuba got Friday’s goals.

Michael Lang opened the scoring in the first half and after the interval, spot-kicks from Gokhan Inler, Johan Djourou and the impressive Breel Embolo were added to by Admir Mehmedi, Pajtim Kasami and Eren Derdiyok.

Marcus Berg gave the visitors the lead with a fine finish but Zlatan Ibrahimovic blew a chance to double the lead after missing a penalty.