This archive report was first published on 9 September 2019.
On Sunday, Spain and Italy took significant strides towards qualifying for Euro 2020, securing crucial wins over the Faroe Islands and Finland respectively.
Spain's Rodrigo and Paco Alcacer both scored twice in a 4-0 victory over the Faroe Islands in Gijon, with captain Sergio Ramos equaling Iker Casillas' national appearances record with his 167th cap.
Italy, meanwhile, kept their 100 percent record intact thanks to Jorginho's late penalty, which sealed a 2-1 win over Finland in Tampere.
With two teams qualifying from each group, Spain and Italy are well-positioned to secure qualification for the tournament, which kicks off in Rome next June.
"Yes, it's almost done, but not yet mathematically," said Spain coach Robert Moreno, highlighting the importance of maintaining focus and growing as a team.
Italy's Lazio striker Ciro Immobile also expressed his delight at finally scoring for his country, saying, "I was feeling the pressure of not scoring with this jersey, but I knew the time would come. Tonight wasn't easy, but we did well. We are happy, we are starting again after the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup."
