Spain beat Albania to seal 2018 World Cup spot, as Macedonia hold Italy

2010 World Cup champions, Spain, have qualified for the 2018 edition of the FIFA tournament in Russia after thrashing Albania 3-0 at Alicante on Friday night.

All three goals were scored in the first-half before the half-hour mark by Rodrigo, Isco and Thiago Alcántara, as Spain joined the league of qualified teams for the 32-team showpiece.

Four-time world champions, Italy – who are second on Europe’s Group G table – will have to qualify via the play-offs after they conceded a late equaliser at home to Macedonia.

They would have taken the race to finish top of Group G into the 10th and final round of games with a win, although Spain had a far superior goal difference.

Read also: Playing at the World Cup our motivation, not money –Ighalo

Giorgio Chiellini put Italy ahead five minutes before half-time at the matchday 9 game played in Turin on Friday night.

But the hosts were stunned when Aleksandar Trajkovski levelled in the 77th minute as the visitors held on till the end.

With the result, Macedonia, who are fifth in the six-team group, are now unbeaten in three World Cup qualifying games.

As it stands, Spain alongside Germany, England, Brazil, Iran, Japan, Mexico, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and hosts Russia are guaranteed to be at the FIFA World Cup finals next summer.

 

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