AlHijjah 26, 1436, October 10, 2015, SPA -- Reigning champions Spain guaranteed their spot at the Euro 2016 finals next year with a 4-0 home win over Luxembourg Friday while Switzerland joined them after crushing San Marino 7-0, reported the dpa. Spain head to France having won Group C as doubles from Santi Cazorla and Paco Alcacar took them to 24 points. Cazorla opened the scoring against the stubborn visitors in the 42nd minute and completed the rout late on after Alcacar's second half brace. However, the win came at a high price as both Alvaro Morata and David Silva went off injured in the first half. Slovakia missed the chance to join Spain as they lost 1-0 at home to 10-man Belarus who got the only goal through Stanislav Dragun. Aleksandr Martynovich was dimissed for a second yellow 25 minutes from time but Belarus held out regardless. The defeat means Slovakia are on 19 points, level with Ukraine, who won 2-0 in Macedonia thanks to Yevhen Seleznyov's penalty and Artem Kravets late on. The Slovaks have a better head-to-head record though and can qualify with a win in Luxembourg Monday even if Ukraine, who are guaranteed a play-off, beat Spain. Switzerland thrashed San Marino and, courtesy of Slovenia being held 1-1 by Lithuania, clinched the second automatic qualifying place in Group E behind England. The Swiss converted three penalties in their clutch of goals. Slovenia could have kept the pressure up by beating Lithuania but Arvydas Novikovas's penalty cancelled out Valter Birsa's opener, which also came from the spot. Slovenia visit San Marino Monday though and need only a point to secure a play-off. England remain the only side to have won every qualifier as Theo Walcott and Raheem Sterling lifted them 2-0 over Estonia. And in Group G, Sergei Ignashevich and Artem Dzyuba gave Russia a 2-1 win in Moldova to stay in control of second place, two ahead of Sweden who won 2-0 in Liechtenstein despite Zlatan Ibrahimovic missing a penalty. Ibrahimovic did notch the second goal after Marcus Berg opened the scoring in the first half. Sweden can finish no worse than in the play-off but Russia will confirm second with a point at home to Montenegro, who lost 3-2 to group winners Austria, on Monday. Montenegro are now eliminated despite twice leading through Mirko Vucinic and Fatos Beciraj. Marc Janko and Marko Arnautovic equalized for Austria and Marcel Sabitzer scored an injury time winner after Vucinic was dismissed.
