Spain are made to sweat

SPAIN stayed in control of Group G despite enduring a nervy evening in Macedonia.

David Silva and Diego Costa were on target but the visitors were made to sweat after Stefan Ristovski pulled one back.

Silva capped a vintage Spanish build-up with the opener and Costa tapped in I sco’s cross before half-time.

But with chances going begging Spain were made to pay when, out of nothing, Stefan Ristovski burst from the halfway line and l ashed i n his first international goal.

Never theless, a 2-1 victory ensured Spain remain top of the group on goal difference, although Italy made inroads on that with a 5-0 win over Liechtenstein.

Napoli forward Lorenzo Insigne opened the scoring with a stunning strike, controlling Leonardo Spinazzola’s pass before crashing a volley into the top corner.

Insigne then teed up Andrea Belotti to tuck in the second seven minutes after the interval.

Eder grabbed the third before substitutes Federico Bernarderschi and Manolo Gabbiadini completed the scoring.

Elsewhere in Group G two goals from Armando Sadiku and one from Ledian Memushaj gave Albania a 3-0 away win against Israel.

In Group D’s basement battle Georgia came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Moldova.

Radu Ginsari and Alexandru Dedov put the hosts 2-0 up at half-time but Georgia hit back through Giorgi Merebashvili and Valeri Kazaishvili to snatch a point.

Diego Costa