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Faroe Islands national football team
Euro Champ Qualifying | Group Stage
Jun 7, 2019 at 7.45pm UK
 
Spain national football team

1-4

Olsen (30')
FT(HT: 1-3)
Ramos (5'), Navas (19'), Gestsson (34' og.), Gaya (71')

Spain put four past Faroe Islands to continue winning run

Spain make it three wins from their three Euro 2020 qualification matches with a 4-1 victory over Faroe Islands on Friday night.

Spain made it three wins from their three Euro 2020 qualification matches with a 4-1 victory over Faroe Islands in Friday night's Group F clash at the Torsvollur Stadium.

La Roja were far from their best against the fourth smallest UEFA country by population, but they still had more than enough to put another three points on the board.

Spain captain Sergio Ramos celebrates scoring against Faroe Islands in their Euro 2020 qualifier on June 7, 2019© Reuters

Spain turned down the chance to train on the artificial pitch in the build-up to the match, with interim head coach Robert Moreno refusing to put his players at risk of picking up an injury ahead of the contest.

It did not take long for La Roja to settle, though, and they made the breakthrough in the fifth minute when Sergio Ramos climbed highest inside the box to head an Isco cross into the bottom corner.

It was always going to be a huge ask for Faroe Islands - listed 102nd in the FIFA rankings - to upset the form book, and the home side were really struggling to keep pace with Spain, who continued to find space all over the park.

Ramos smashed one just wide of the home side's post in the 18th minute as another opportunity came and went, but Spain doubled their advantage shortly after when Jesus Navas fired low into the bottom corner to score his first La Roja goal since 2013.

According to the official formations ahead of the match, Spain were in a 4-3-3 but it was more of a 2-5-3, with Navas and Jose Gaya almost playing as wingers due to the away side's complete and utter domination of the ball.

It took until the 29th minute for Faroe Islands to put together a meaningful attack but they managed to score from the resulting corner, with Klaemint Olsen cleverly guiding a header from Odmar Faero into the bottom corner to stun the team in red.

Faroe Islands forward Klaemint Olsen celebrates scoring against Spain in their Euro 2020 qualifier on June 7, 2019© Reuters

Spain had their third just four minutes later, however, when a strike from Isco rattled the post before hitting Faroe Islands goalkeeper Teitur Gestsson and dropping into the back of the net.

Gestsson made a really smart save to keep out a powerful Santi Cazorla strike in the period that followed, before managing to prevent a deflected Isco cross from finding the back of the net via another own goal.

Spain had more than 70% of the ball possession in the first half, but Faroe Islands deserve huge credit for some bright moments, while Olsen's strike gave the supporters inside the stadium something substantial to cheer.

Diego Llorente replaced Ramos for Spain at the interval, meaning that the captain's armband went to Cazorla, who was outstanding on his first outing for the national team since the latter stages of 2015.

Faroe Islands had a decent opportunity to score a second in the 47th minute when the goalscorer Olsen met a free kick from Hallur Hansson, but the number 11's header just flashed wide of the post.

Arni Frederiksberg then struck over the Spain crossbar from distance four minutes later as Faroe Islands carried a threat in the early stages of the second period.

Spain attacker Isco in action with Faroe Islands defender Gilli Sorensen in their Euro 2020 qualifier on June 7, 2019© Reuters

Marco Asensio was the second player off the Spain bench in the 56th minute as interim boss Moreno looked for more invention during a poor spell for La Roja.

Faroe Islands had another chance just past the hour when the ball broke for the captain Atli Gregersen in a dangerous position, and Kepa Arrizabalaga had to get down to make a smart save for the away side.

Isco then curled over the crossbar down the other end as Spain upped their tempo, but Faroe Islands were still causing problems with high balls into the penalty box.

Spain had their fourth in the 71st minute, however, with Gaya expertly lifting the ball over the onrushing Gestsson after being released into a dangerous position by Asensio.

Diego Llorente had one cleared off the line before Fabian Ruiz and Asensio brought smart saves from Gestsson as Spain chased a fifth, but the final whistle was ultimately blown at 4-1.

FAROE ISLANDS (4-3-3): Gestsson; Rolantsson, Gregersen, Faero, Davidsen; B Olsen, Vatnsdal (Baldvinsson 75'), Hansson; Frederiksberg (M Olsen 86'), K Olsen (Johannesen 68'), Vatnhamar

SPAIN (4-3-3): Kepa; Navas, Ramos (D Llorente 46'), Hermoso, Gaya; Roberto, Rodri, Cazorla; Aspas (Asensio 56'), Morata, Isco (Ruiz 74')

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Sergio Ramos celebrates scoring for Spain on March 23, 2019
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Spain Spain870121
Q Scotland flag Scotland852117
3 Norway Norway832311
4 Georgia Georgia82248
5 Cyprus Cyprus80080

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France871022
Q Netherlands Netherlands860218
3 Greece Greece841313
4 Ireland Rep. Ireland82066
5 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar80080

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England862020
Q Italy Italy842214
3 Ukraine Ukraine842214
4 Macedonia N. Macedonia82248
5 Malta flag Malta80080

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Turkey Turkey852117
Q Croatia Croatia851216
3 Wales flag Wales833212
4 Armenia Armenia82248
5 Latvia Latvia81073

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Albania national flag Albania843115
Q Czech Republic Czech Republic843115
3 Poland Poland832311
4 Republic of Moldova Moldova824210
5 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands80262

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Belgium Belgium862020
Q Austria Austria861119
3 Sweden Sweden831410
4 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan82157
5 Estonia Estonia80171

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Hungary Hungary853018
Q Serbia Serbia842214
3 Montenegro Montenegro832311
4 Lithuania Lithuania81346
5 Bulgaria Bulgaria80444

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Denmark Denmark1071222
Q Slovenia Slovenia1071222
3 Finland Finland1060418
4 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan1060418
5 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland103079
6 San Marino flag San Marino1000100

Group I

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Romania Romania1064022
Q Switzerland Switzerland1045117
3 Israel Israel1043315
4 Belarus Belarus1033412
5 Kosovo flag Kosovo1025311
6 Andorra flag Andorra100282

Group J

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal10100030
Q Slovakia Slovakia1071222
3 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg1052317
4 Iceland Iceland1031610
5 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina103079
6 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein1000100


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