Spain ease past Malta, Quagliarella breaks Italy record

Alvaro Morata's remarkable revival continued on Tuesday as he scored twice for Spain in a 2-0 victory over Malta.

After edging past Norway 2-1 on Saturday, Morata's double at the Ta'Qali stadium gives Spain two wins from two in Euro 2020 qualifying and the perfect start in Group F.

Luis Enrique's side again showed the inability to convert possession into chances that clouded their early exit from last year's World Cup.

But Morata's brace offers room for encouragement, the striker extending his return to form since he joined Atletico Madrid on loan from Chelsea in January.

He has five goals in six games, his best return since September 2017, and has strengthened his case for a position that has proved so troublesome for Spain in recent years.

"The boss knows how happy I am to be here and I am grateful to him," Morata said. "We want to qualify as soon as possible for the Euros so it was important to win today."

Malta lie 182nd in FIFA's world rankings, between Liechtenstein and Macau. Their win over the Faroe Islands last weekend was their first in 17 matches and only their second in almost four years.

Morata scored both goals as Spain labored to a Euro 2020 qualifying win in Malta on March 26, 2019. /VCG Photo

Luis Enrique was absent for "personal reasons", leaving his assistant Robert Moreno in charge on the touchline.

There were unfamiliar faces on the pitch too as only three players – Sergio Ramos, Morata and Marco Asensio – retained their places in a much-changed line-up from the team that beat Norway.

Six of Spain's starting 11 owned five caps or fewer, including Real Betis' attacking midfielder Sergio Canales and Mario Hermoso, the 23-year-old Espanyol defender linked with a summer move to Real Madrid.

Morata's first, shortly after the half-hour, owed much to Malta's goalkeeper Henry Bonello, who failed to stop the forward's scuffed finish after Hermoso's clipped pass over the top.

Sergi Roberto's cross almost gave Morata his second, only for the glancing header to flash wide, but he did not have long to wait.

Jesus Navas delivered another ball to the back post in the 73rd minute and this time Morata made no mistake.

Quagliarella becomes the oldest player to ever score for Italy at the international level after scoring against Finland on March 26, 2019. /VCG Photo.

Quagliarella makes history

Elsewhere, Fabio Quagliarella became the oldest ever player to score for Italy as the 36-year-old converted two penalties in a crushing 6-0 Euro 2020 qualifying win by the Azzurri over Liechtenstein on Tuesday.

Italy top Group J with six points after beating Finland 2-0 in Udine on Saturday with goals from Nicolo Barella and Moise Kean.

Bosnia threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Greece and both are behind Italy on four points followed by Finland on three.

"Mission accomplished," said Italy coach Roberto Mancini. "The result was obvious, but it was important that we score goals."

Top Serie A scorer Quagliarella converted a penalty after 35 minutes, adding a second, also from the spot, just before the break.

The Sampdoria player becomes the oldest player ever to score for Italy aged 36 years and 54 days, overtaking Christian Panucci, who scored aged 35 years in 2008.

Meanwhile, Denmark's Henrik Dalsgaard scored a 93rd-minute equalizer to complete an incredible comeback from three goals down to draw 3-3 away against Switzerland in a pulsating Euro 2020 qualifier in Basel.

Switzerland were on the verge of making it two wins out of two at the start of their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign but Dalsgaard outjumped goalkeeper Yann Sommer to head home and earn Denmark an astonishing and unlikely point.

(CGTN)