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Spain national football team
European Championship | Qualifiers
Sep 8, 2014 at 7.45pm UK
 
North Macedonia national football team

5-1

Ramos (15' pen.), Alcacer (17'), Busquets (45'), Silva (50'), Pedro (91')
FT(HT: 3-1)
Ibraimi (28' pen.)

Spain ease to win over Macedonia

Spain open their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign with a comfortable 5-1 win over Macedonia.

Defending champions Spain cruised to a 5-1 win over Macedonia in their opening qualifier for Euro 2016 this evening.

Paco Alcacer celebrates with David Silva after scoring Spain's 2nd goal during the UEFA EURO 2016 Group C Qualifier between Spain and FYR of Macedonia at Estadio Ciutat de Valencia on September 8, 2014© Getty Images

Spain broke the deadlock just 15 minutes into the tie when David Silva was brought down in the penalty box, allowing Sergio Ramos to float the ball down the centre to open the scoring.

The hosts needed less than two minutes to double their advantage as Juanfran crossed the ball in for Paco Alcacer, who was making his first appearance in a competitive international for Spain, leaving him with a simple tap-in from close range.

However, Macedonia pulled one back just short of half an hour into the tie when Juanfran hacked down Aleksandar Trajkovski in the box, leaving Agim Ibraimi to slot it in from the spot.

The defending European champions pushed hard to restore the two-goal cushion before the break, but Tome Pacovski made a couple of solid saves to deny Alcacer and Pedro, while Daniel Mojsov blocked a Silva effort.

However, the home side did manage to find a third in stoppage time just before the half-time whistle as a Sergio Busquets effort was deflected into the back of the net.

Spain continued to press at the start of the second half and were able to increase their lead within five minutes as Jordi Alba played the ball in for Silva to drill the ball in low.

Alba was involved again later in the half as Cesc Fabregas tried to add Spain's fifth, only to see his shot kept out by the crossbar.

Pedro also had a chance to make it five as he jumped to meet a Juanfran cross, but the striker headed the ball just wide.

Teenage striker Munir El Haddadi came on for Koke with just over 10 minutes still to play, making his debut for Vicente del Bosque's men.

The Barcelona youngster provided a burst of pace in the closing moments, but it was Pedro who had the final say, chipping the ball in during stoppage time to complete an emphatic win.

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Paco Alcacer celebrates with David Silva after scoring Spain's 2nd goal during the UEFA EURO 2016 Group C Qualifier between Spain and FYR of Macedonia at Estadio Ciutat de Valencia on September 8, 2014
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