World Cup 2018 - Qualifying matches

Spain 4 – Macedonia 0

Spain: De Gea; Dani Carvajal, Marc Bartra, Nacho, Monreal; Thiago, Busquets, Koke (Isco 71’); Vitolo (Callejón 87’), Morata (Aduríz 60’), David Silva. 4-3-3.
Macedonia: Dimitrievski; Velkoski, Mojsov, Ristevski; Ristovski, Hasani (Gjorgjev 87’), Bardi, Spirovski (Zhuta 60’), Alioski; Pandev, Nestorovski (Ibraimi 82’). 3-5-2.

Goals:
1-0. 34. Velkoski (own goal). Looped header past own keeper from Carvajal cross.
2-0. 63. Vitolo. Steered header in on far post after Silva cross deflected up to him.
3-0. 84. Monreal. Connected with Caravajal centre and struck shot across keeper.
4-0. 85. Aduríz. Fired shot past Dimitrievski after Vitolo stepped over Silva cross.

Yellow cards: Alioski 92’.

Spain stay top of their group, ahead of Italy on goal difference, after a 4-0 victory over Macedonia on Saturday night. With five of his first choice players injured Lopetegui had to make several changes to his line-up, particularly in defence where Bartra and Nacho started in place of Piqué and Ramos. There were a couple of early scares when De Gea had to save from Mojsov and Pandev headed just wide from a corner, but Spain settled after that, and Morata and Silva both had shots blocked. With ten minutes to go to the break however the locals took the lead thanks to a bit of luck, Velkoski and a colleague both trying to clear Caravajal’s cross only for the ball to hit the back of the defender’s head and loop up in to the net. Nàstic keeper Dimitrievski (who only played as first choice Alekovski injured himself in the pre-match warm-up) had to save from Morata soon after the restart, and Vitolo made it two with a far post header after Silva’s centre deflected up to him. Bardi could have got one back though, at first after a mistake by Bartra gifted him the ball, and then with a long shot which De Gea did well to keep out, and Hasani had a strike ruled out for a borderline offside. But with six minutes to go Monreal volleyed in the third from Caravajal’s cross, and just a minute later Aduríz made it four after Vitolo stepped over a centre from Silva.