Football
2016 European Championship Qualifying, Group Stage 2016
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PA Sport 9y

Spain beat Belarus 1-0 in Euro 2016 qualifying on David Silva winner

David Silva scored the only goal as Spain claimed a 1-0 win over Belarus in Euro 2016 qualifying Group C on Sunday night.

The Manchester City midfielder hit the target on the stroke of half-time to keep Spain in second place behind Slovakia.

Vicente del Bosque's side have now won five and lost just one of their qualifying campaign to amass 15 points, three behind unbeaten Slovakia, who claimed a 2-1 win over Macedonia.

Spain, who are currently ranked 10th in the world, were made to toil by Belarus, who sit 70 places below them in the worldwide pecking order.

However, despite a frustrating first half which saw Alvaro Morata shoot wide and Belarus keeper Andrey Gorbunov deny a fantastic shot by Pedro, Spain took a one-goal advantage into the break thanks to Silva.

The playmaker was quick to capitalise when Gorbunov came off his line to fend away a ball in by Cesc Fabregas in the 45th minute and got nowhere near it, with Silva able to control the ball at the far post before drilling it into the net.

If the visitors expected the floodgates to open in the second period then they were to be sorely disappointed, as Gorbunov saved another Morata effort before Sergey Kornilenko was unlucky not to draw Belarus level in the 62nd when Iker Casillas fumbled a shot.

Santi Cazorla called Gorbunov into action again with just less than 20 minutes on the clock but the Belarus stopper kept the Arsenal man at bay before making a great save with his feet to deny Silva a second.

As the clock wound down, Spain refused to give up, as did Belarus defender Alyaksandr Martynovich, who blocked Vitolo's stoppage-time strike.

Morata then had a brilliant shot saved by the excellent Gorbunov, but with Silva's goal they still had enough to win the game and keep the pressure on Slovakia, while Belarus remain fourth in the group.

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