Spain get better of Sweden as Ireland labour against Gibraltar

AFP  |  Paris 

and both scored penalties as got the better of Sweden, while the Republic of and continued their strong starts in qualifying for Euro 2020.

Three-time European champions ran out 3-0 winners in their Group F encounter with the Swedes at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, recovering from the early frustration of seeing a Rodrigo Moreno effort wrongly disallowed for offside.

They won a penalty just after the hour when blocked a Marco Asensio cross with his arm, and Ramos converted the spot-kick. It was the Real defender's 20th goal for his country, his seventh in his last eight matches.

Morata, who had come on as a second-half subtitute, won another penalty late on when he was brought down in the box by Filip Helander, and he duly netted from 12 yards too.

Real Sociedad striker Mikel Oyarzabal, also on from the bench, wrapped up the win with three minutes left.

The result means Luis Enrique's side have the maximum 12 points from four matches and are five points ahead of and at the top of the six-team section. The top two teams in each group qualify for the finals.

"These matches are more difficult than the result makes them look," Morata told Spanish media.

"We played well, defended well and we are very happy."

Romania, who host next in September, eased to a 4-0 win in Norway, whose only appearance at the Euros so far came in 2000, got their first win of the campaign as they beat the 2-0 away thanks to a brace from US-born forward

- Irish five clear -

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are top of Group D with 10 points from four games after again doing the minimum to get the better of minnows

Mick McCarthy's team won 1-0 on the rock in March and won 2-0 against the same opponents this time.

They went ahead in when David McGoldrick's wayward shot went in thanks to a wicked deflection off then wrapped up the victory at the death.

"If the remit for me was to get 10 points, which I'm sure it was, that job's done," McCarthy told

are five points ahead of Denmark, with whom they drew in at the weekend.

However, the Danes have a game in hand and romped to a 5-1 win over on Monday, with Kasper Dolberg of scoring twice. Tottenham Hotspur star scored a penalty, while and also netted.

have maximum points after four games in Group G, with hotshots and both on target in a 4-0 defeat of in

boosted their chances of qualifying as West Ham United's bagged a brace in a 4-1 victory in North Macedonia, while romped to a 5-0 win in

- First win for Kosovo -

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The joined England on six points at the top of Group A thanks to a 3-0 defeat of Montenegro, although they have now played a game more than Gareth Southgate's side.

In the same group, Kosovo registered their first win in qualifying for a Euro or a World Cup, coming from behind to beat 3-2 in thanks to Elbasan Rashani's injury-time strike.

are six points clear at the top of Group B after beating 1-0, while scored twice and new Real signing got one goal as defeated 4-1.

Newly crowned winners, and reigning European champions, will resume their qualifying campaign in in September sitting eight points behind

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Tue, June 11 2019. 09:30 IST