BERLIN: Spain cruised to a 2-0 win over Malta and Italy thrashed Liechtenstein 6-0 as the two traditional European powerhouses overcame minnows in a night of drama in Euro 2020 qualifiers on Tuesday.
Denmark made a remarkable late recovery from 3-0 down with three late goals for an unlikely 3-3 draw in Switzerland.
And there was also late drama in Oslo as Sweden recovered from a two-goal deficit but conceded a late equaliser in a 3-3 thriller with Scandinavian rivals Norway.
Bosnia-Herzegovina also squandered a two-goal lead and had a man sent off in a 2-2 draw with Greece, while Ireland made it two wins out of two by edging Georgia 1-0.
Alvaro Morata put three-time European champions Spain ahead on the half-hour mark in their match at Malta and headed a second in the 73rd as Spain made it two wins out of two in Group F following a 2-1defeat of Norway.
In the same group, Norway meanwhile went two goals up against Sweden from Bjorn Johnsen in the 41st minute and a Joshua King header in the 59th.
Viktor Claesson followed up after Andreas Granqvist’s penalty was saved to put Sweden back in the game in the 70th minute, and Robin Quaison looked to have won it for the visitors with goals in the 86th minute and stoppage time. But Norway rescued a point with an Ola Kamara header in the seventh minute of stoppage time.
DRAMATIC COMEBACK
It was just as dramatic in Basel where Nations League finalists Switzerland were three goals up against Denmark with six minutes of regular time remaining, only to be stunned by the Danes in a 3-3 draw in Group D.
Remo Freuler in the 19th minute scored his first goal for the Swiss national side and Granit Xhaka finished with a pile driver in the 66th, while Breel Embolo got a touch on an overhead kick to deflect over the line to make it three 10 minutes later.
Mathias Jorgensen netted in the 84th and substitute Christian Gytkjaer bagged a second four minutes later as Denmark came back, and their rally was completed with a Henrik Dalsgarrd header in the third minute of stoppage time.
“I don’t think it’s luck. We have the achievement of coming back against a team like Switzerland, that shows our character,” Denmark coach Age Hareide said.
“It’s fantastic. We said at half-time that we should not be defeated.We came back as a new team in the second half, but two more goals made it terrible for the players and us on the touchline.
“You’re driven from heaven to hell in football — that’s why I’m still doing it.”
Italy followed up their opening 2-0 win over Finland in Group J by thrashing Liechtenstein, who had defender Daniel Kaufmann sent off just before half-time for preventing a goal with his arm.
Stefano Sensi headed the opener in the 17th minute in Parma before Marco Verratti made it two in the 32nd.
Fabio Quagliarella scored from the penalty spot three minutes later to become Italy’s oldest goalscorer at 36, and the Sampdoria forward again converted after a penalty for Kaufmann’s handball offence.
Juventus teenager Moise Kean headed in for Italy’s fifth in the 70th and his second in consecutive games, with substitute Leonardo Pavoletti on target in the 76th.
“We started off well in a game where it was important to score,”Italy coach Roberto Mancini said.
“We needed to stay focused since the result was soon in our favour.We played a real game.”
In the same group, Bosnia and Herzegovina were pegged by Greece after two early goals when Edin Visca’s 10th-minute opener was followed up five minutes later with a long-range free-kick from Miralem Pjanic.
Kostas Fortounis converted from the spot in the 64th to reduce the deficit, and the home side were punished after Pjanic was shown a red card a minute later when Dimitros Kolovos headed an 85th-minute equaliser.
Finland meanwhile claimed their first win in the group by beating Armenia 2-0 in Yerevan.
Following their narrow 1-0 win in Gibraltar, Ireland bagged a second victory to now lead Group D by edging Georgia 1-0 in Dublin, Conor Hourihane scoring with a free-kick in the 36th minute.
In Spain’s group, Romania bounced back from a 2-1 defeat to Sweden by beating Faroe Islands 4-1.
The next round of Euro 2020 qualifiers will begin on June 7. — dpa
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