Reigning European champions Spain closed in on a place at Euro 2016 by grinding out a 1-0 qualifying win over Belarus on Sunday, while Wayne Rooney’s late goal gave England victory in Slovenia.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic struck a brace as Sweden beat Montenegro, but Russia were the day’s big losers, a defeat to Austria coming as a blow to their prospects of reaching the finals in France in a year’s time.
England are on a fast track to the tournament having won six games out of six in qualifying Group E, although they needed an 86th-minute winner from Rooney to secure victory.
Photo: AP
Milivoje Novakovic gave Slovenia the lead in the 37th minute at the Stozice Stadium before Jack Wilshere broke his international duck with a pair of brilliant, almost identical second-half goals to put England ahead.
Slovenia substitute Nejc Pecnik appeared to have rescued a point with an 84th-minute equalizer, but moments later Rooney atoned for two glaring earlier misses by scoring his 48th England goal, taking him level with Gary Lineker and leaving him one goal behind all-time leading scorer Bobby Charlton.
“It’s great to score the winner, but it was a great team performance,” Rooney said.
England are six points clear of Switzerland, who came from behind to beat Lithuania 2-1.
Fiodor Cernych put the home side ahead in the second half, but Josip Drmic equalized soon after for the Switzerland before Xherdan Shaqiri of Inter got the winning goal six minutes from time.
In the group’s other game, Sergei Zenjov scored two goals either side of halftime as Estonia defeated minnows San Marino 2-0.
Meanwhile, Euro 2008 and Euro 2012 winners Spain made it five victories from six games in Group C by beating hosts Belarus 1-0.
Manchester City’s David Silva got the only goal of the game in Vicente del Bosque’s 100th match in charge of Spain, controlling a Cesc Fabregas free-kick at the back post and volleying in.
However, it is Slovakia who top the group after they made it six wins out of six by downing visitors Macedonia 2-1. Kornel Salata and Napoli star Marek Hamsik scored for Slovakia, with Arijan Ademi getting one back for Macedonia, who had forward Feran Hasani sent off late on.
Spain and Slovakia meet in early September, while third-placed Ukraine are not out of the running after second-half goals from Artem Kravets, Denys Garmash and Yevhen Konoplyanka secured a 3-0 win for the hosts over Luxembourg.
In Group G, Russia’s hopes of qualifying were dealt a blow as Fabio Capello’s side slumped to a 1-0 defeat at home to Austria.
Giant striker Marc Janko scored the only goal of the game for Austria with a spectacular overhead-kick in the 33rd minute as they extended their lead at the top of the group.
After six games, unbeaten Austria — whose only previous European Championship appearance came as co-hosts in 2008 — are top with 16 points, four points clear of Sweden, with Russia a further four points adrift in third, which is likely to bring with it a playoff place.
Fabio Capello, the coach of the 2018 World Cup hosts, seemed to blame his team’s performance on the “pedestrian” pace of the game in Russia.
“It’s very hard to play at top speed because my players have not got into the habit of doing so in Russian Premier League matches,” Capello said.
Sweden won 3-1 at home to Montenegro with Marcus Berg opening the scoring before skipper Ibrahimovic of Paris Saint-Germain netted twice in four minutes just before halftime, with Dejan Damjanovic hitting a penalty consolation for the away side.
Also in Group G, Liechtenstein and Moldova drew 1-1 with Sandro Wieser’s brilliant strike putting the hosts ahead before Gheorghe Boghiu leveled.
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