Switzerland booked a spot at Euro 2016 after securing a 7-0 victory at home to San Marino on Friday that guaranteed them second place behind England in Group E.
The Swiss, who scored six times in the second half to subdue San Marino, have 18 points with one match remaining and are five points clear of third-placed Slovenia, whose own faint hopes were dashed as they drew 1-1 at home to Lithuania.
Switzerland were made to work harder than they might have expected against San Marino after taking the lead when Michael Lang steered home at the near post after 17 minutes. They had to wait until 10 minutes into the second half to extend their advantage, however, when Gokhan Inler fired home from the penalty spot after a handball by Davide Cesarini.
Admir Mehmedi steered into an unguarded goal to make it 3-0 in the 65th before the hosts scored three in eight minutes, including further penalties from Johan Djourou and Breel Embolo either side of a smart finish from Pajtim Kasami. Eren Derdiyok wrapped up the scoring when he headed in Renato Steffen’s cross in the final minute and by the end of the game the Swiss had taken 25 shots to their opponents’ two.
While Spain’s 4-0 win over Luxembourg secured them first place in Group C, Ukraine and Slovakia remain deadlocked in the fight to finish second. Slovakia would also have qualified had they beaten Belarus at home but instead Stanislav Dragun put the visitors ahead in the first half and they held on to win 1-0 despite the dismissal of Malyaksandr Martynovich with 25 minutes to play. That allowed Ukraine to draw level with them on 19 points thanks to a 2-0 win over Macedonia, though Mikhail Fomenko’s side remain behind Slovakia because of an inferior head-to-head record, and must play Spain at home on Monday while their rivals travel to Luxembourg.
The Sweden captain, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, struck his seventh goal in seven Euro 2016 qualifiers and missed a penalty as they beat a spirited Liechtenstein 2-0 in their Group G qualifier in Vaduz to claim at least a play-off spot.
It took Sweden 18 minutes to get a shot on target but, when they did, it put them ahead, Marcus Berg holding off the challenge of Liechtenstein’s captain, Mario Frick, before shooting in.
Ibrahimovic won a penalty five minutes before half-time but Peter Jehle flung himself to his right to save the spot-kick. The striker made amends for the miss 10 minutes into the second half, latching on to Kim Källstrom’s long ball to rifle home his 58th international goal. Berg and Ibrahimovic then both missed good chances as the sluggish Swedes failed to make the most of their dominance.
Russia won 2-1 in Moldova, leaving them second on 17 points, two ahead of Sweden and eight behind the already qualified leaders, Austria, who won 3-2 in Montenegro – thanks to a goal from the substitute Marcel Sabitzer in the second minute of stoppage time – to end their hosts’ interest. Russia, whose opening goal came from Sergei Ignashevich on the night the 36-year-old became their most-capped player, now need a point from their home game with Montenegro on Monday to guarantee second place.
