Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino helped Spain edge closer to World Cup qualification with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Georgia.

The pair started in midfield for La Roya, as goals from Yeremy Pino and a free-kick from Mikel Oyarzabal handed Spain victory at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero, Elche.

Zubi was substituted after 81 minutes for Aleix Garcia, with Mikel playing the full 90. Goalkeeper David Raya was an unused substitute.

Elsewhere, Riccardo Calafiori played the full match as Italy downed Estonia 3-1 in Tallinn. 

After seeing Norway defeat Israel 5-0 earlier in the day, Italy responded in style thanks to goals from Moise Kean, Mateo Retegui and Giacomo Raspadori. This was Riccardo’s 11th cap for Italy, as he played in a back three alongside Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Alessandro Bastoni.

what it means

The third victory for Spain in the qualifiers sees them sit top of Group E with nine points and a superior goal difference. Turkey defeated Bulgaria 6-1 in the other group match, leaving the nation three points behind the European champions. Spain host Bulgaria in Valladolid next week.

World Cup qualifier: Group E

Nation
Played
GD
Points

Spain
3
+11
9

Turkey
3
0
6

Georgia
3
0
3

Bulgaria
3
-11
0

Italy’s victory over Estonia means that Gli Azzurri are six points behind Martin Odegaard’s Norway, with a game in hand. Riccardo’s next match comes against Israel next Tuesday, knowing a victory would move the four-time world champions to just three points behind the Norwegians.

World Cup qualifier: Group I

Nation
Played
GD
Points

Norway
6
+26
18

Italy
5
+7
12

Israel
6
-1
9

Estonia
6
-10
3

Moldova
5
-22
0

 

 

what’s next

All times BST

Thursday, October 9 
Belarus 0-6 Denmark
World Cup qualifier | Norgaard played 25 minutes

Malta 0-4 Netherlands
World Cup qualifier | Timber played the full 90, kept a clean sheet

England 3-0 Wales
Friendly | Saka scored, Rice captained and Lewis-Skelly came on as a substitute.

Friday, October 10
South Korea 0-5 Brazil
Friendly | Gabriel played the full 90 minutes, Martinelli an unused sub

Moldova U21 0-4 England U21
Euro U21 qualifier | Nwaneri provided two assists

Sweden 0-2 Switzerland 
World Cup qualifier | Gyokeres played the full 90 minutes

France 3-0 Azerbaijan
World Cup qualifier | Saliba played full 90 minutes, kept a clean sheet

Belgium 0-0 North Macedonia
World Cup qualifier | Trossard started, played 74 minutes

Saturday, October 11
Spain  2-0 Georgia
World Cup qualifier | Merino and Zubimendi start. Raya was an unused substitute

Estonia 1-3 Italy
World Cup qualifier | Calafiori played the full 90 minutes

Sunday, October 12
Netherlands (Timber) v Finland
World Cup qualifier | Amsterdam | 5pm

Denmark (Norgaard) v Greece
World Cup qualifier | Copenhagen | 7.45pm

Monday, October 13
Sweden (Gyokeres) v Kosovo
World Cup qualifier | Stockholm | 7.45pm

Iceland v France (Saliba)
World Cup qualifier | Reykjavik | 7.45pm

Wales v Belgium (Trossard)
World Cup qualifier | Cardiff | 7.45pm

England U21 (Nwaneri) v Andorra U21
Euro U21 qualifier | Derby | 7.45pm

Tuesday, October 14
Japan v Brazil (Gabriel, Martinelli)
Friendly | Tokyo | 11.30am

Spain U21 (Mosquera) v Finland U21
Euro U21 Qualifier | Castellón de la Plana | 5.30pm

Spain (Merino, Zubimendi, Raya) v Bulgaria
World Cup qualifier | Valladolid | 7.45pm

Italy (Calafiori) v Israel 
World Cup qualifier | Udine | 7.45pm

Latvia v England (Eze, Rice, Lewis-Skelly, Saka)
World Cup qualifier | Riga | 7.45pm

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