Italy hammer Liechtenstein for perfect Euro 2020 run & record

PARIS: Rodrigo Moreno fired Spain into Euro 2020 with a

last-gasp equaliser in Sweden while the Republic of Ireland’s chances of reaching the finals are still in the balance after they fell 2-0 in Switzerland.

Spain became the sixth team to qualify for next summer’s tournament thanks to Rodrigo, who came off the bench to score a dramatic injury-time

leveller in a 1-1 draw in Stockholm, sparking wild celebrations on the touchline.

“Qualification is a must for a team like Spain but achieving it still has value,” said Moreno.

“It releases the pressure and gives us time to work.”

Robert Moreno’s side are top of Group F on 20 points after drawing their last two matches. They are five ahead of Sweden and six above Romania, who missed the chance to take second spot when Norway’s Alexander Sorloth snatched a late 1-1 draw in Bucharest.

However it was a far from vintage display from Spain, who started brightly but faded as the match wore on against the lively hosts, who were distraught after missing out on a famous victory right at the death.

A celebratory night was tempered slightly by the loss of goalkeeper David de Gea to a thigh injury in the second half, although that will worry his club Manchester United more ahead their meeting with Premier League leaders Liverpool this weekend.

In Group D, Haris Seferovic’s early strike and Shane Duffy’s late own goal kept Switzerland’s hopes of automatic qualification alive with a 2-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland.

The win in Geneva means the Swiss are just a point behind group leaders Ireland and Denmark with two matches remaining in their campaign, compared to just the one for the Irish, who host the Danes on November 18 needing a win to guarantee qualification.

“It’s a cup final. Beat Denmark to reach Euro 2020. I would have taken that at the start and I’ll take it now,” said the Republic’s coach Mick Mccarthy.

The Swiss, who also have the better of the head-to-head record with the Irish as the two teams drew 1-1 in September, take on group minnows Georgia and Gibraltar in their final two games.

“The result doesn’t mean a lot in the group, we still need to get results in our next two games. If we get the points we need against Georgia and Gibraltar we can turn our attentions to Euro 2020,” said Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic.

Finland inched closer to qualifying for their first ever European Championships after Teemu Pukki took his qualifying tally to seven in eight matches with a double that helped Finland sweep aside Armenia 3-0 in Turku.

Fredrik Jensen gave the Finns a 31th minute lead. Norwich City striker Pukki then scored just after the hour and got his second two minutes from the end with a neat dinked finish.

Markku Kanerva’s side stay nine points behind Group J winners Italy, who maintained their 100 percent record with an eighth straight win, 5-0 against Liechtenstein.

Finland need a win over rock-bottom Liechtenstein to qualify for their first major tournament after fourth-placed Bosnia & Herzegovina lost 2-1 in Greece with an 88th-minute own goal from Adnan Kovacevic.

Israel kept their hopes of qualifying from Group G alive after seeing off Latvia 3-1 as Eran Zahavi scored his 11th goal of the qualifying campaign.

Andi Herzog’s side are level on 11 points with North Macedonia and Slovenia and five behind second-place Austria, meaning they still have a chance with two games remaining. VADUZ (Liechtenstein): Andrea Belotti scored a second-half brace as already-qualified Italy overran Liechtenstein 5-0 on Tuesday to stretch their perfect run in Euro 2020 qualifying to eight games and match an 80-year Italian record.

Roberto Mancini’s side were assured of top spot in Group J after a 2-0 win over Greece in Rome on Saturday.

Federico Bernardeschi gave Italy the lead after just two minutes in Vaduz but it was not until the last 20 minutes that the ‘Azzurri’ hammered home their domination with four late goals.

Belotti headed in twice for a second-half brace with Alessio Romagnoli and substitute Stephan El Shaarawy also scoring near the end.

Mancini celebrated his ninth win in a row as Italy manager to draw level with the record run of legendary Vittorio Pozzo back in 1938-1939.

Pozzo won the first two of Italy’s four World Cup titles in 1934 and 1938 and gold in the 1936 Berlin Olympics “I’m more interested in his record of two World Cups and the Olympics, but even just winning Euro 2020 would be enough,” said Mancini.

The 54-year-old former Inter Milan and Manchester City manager took over in May 2018 after Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup.

Liechtenstein are already eliminated from the European tournament and they also lost 6-0 to Italy in Parma last March.

With qualification already in the bag, Mancini rang the changes with Paris Saint-germain midfielder Marco Verratti the only survivor from the Greece game.

The 26-year-old took the captain’s armband with Leonardo Bonnucci rested, as Napoli defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo got his senior Italian debut aged 26, with winger Vincenzo Grifo, also 26, getting his first start.

Roma midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo, 20, made his first senior start having come off the bench in his three previous appearances.

Brescia midfielder Sandro Tonali, 19, was also given his first international debut in the second half.

“We struggled a bit because we didn’t find the second goal right away, but with so many changes it was inevitable to spend a little time finding the right chemistry,” said Mancini.

“The important thing is that all the kids are really involved.

“And the truth is that in June, I will be forced to make choices and some good players will have to stay out.”

With only pride to play, for the hosts threatened early with Dennis Salanovic testing Salvatore Sirigu after just one minute.

A minute later Italy were ahead with Belotti setting up Cristiano Biraghi who connected with Bernardeschi to finish off for his second goal in a row after Greece last weekend.

Belotti broke through for the second with 20 minutes to go getting his head to the end of Freiburg winger Grifo’s corner.

El Shaarawy, who plays for Shanghai Shenhua, came on for Zaniolo after the hour mark, and set up Romagnoli for the third before scoring himself with eight minutes to go.

Belotti completed the rout when he dived to meet a Di Lorenzo cross for his second goal on the night as Liechtenstein fell to their sixth defeat in eight games, having held Greece and Armenia to draws.

“Liechtenstein brings me

luck, especially here as I got a brace last time too,” said Belotti, with five of his eight Italy goals against the team.

“We’re a completely different team from the one that

lost the World Cup play-offs to Sweden two years ago.

“It’s right that Italy are back where we belong.”

Italy next play Bosnia and Herzegovina on November 15 with Liechtenstein travel

ling to second-placed Finland Liechtenstein.