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Spain qualify for World Cup despite stumble while Belgium confirm place with thrashing

Switzerland, Austria and Belgium also booked their place at next summer’s finals

Spain have qualified despite stumbling against Turkey
Spain have qualified despite stumbling against Turkey (Getty Images)

Spain secured automatic qualification for next year's World Cup despite losing their 100 percent record and conceding their first goals of the campaign in a 2-2 draw with Turkey.

Mikel Oyarzabal secured a point - and extended their run of 31 international games without defeat - with his sixth goal of qualifying just past the hour mark after the visitors bounced back from Dani Olmo's opener to lead through Deniz Gul and Salih Ozcan.

Bulgaria's 3-1 win over Georgia could not prevent them from finishing bottom of Group E.

Belgium confirmed their place with a 7-0 thrashing of Liechtenstein, with Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku scoring twice and Hans Vanaken, Brandon Mechele, Alexis Saelemaekers and Charles De Ketelaere (two) also on target.

Belgium have booked their place at next summer’s finals
Belgium have booked their place at next summer’s finals (AP)

That rendered Wales' 7-1 win over North Macedonia, with Harry Wilson's hat-trick the highlight, academic but still earned them home advantage in their play-off semi-final.

Austria's 1-1 draw with Bosnia-Herzegovina guaranteed them top spot in Group H, with their rivals having to settle for a runners-up place, with Romania beating San Marino 7-1.

Likewise, Switzerland's 1-1 draw in Kosovo was enough for them to qualify from Group B as the hosts could not find what would have been an historic winner after Florent Muslija's 74th-minute equaliser.

Switzerland’s draw with Kosovo was enough to qualify
Switzerland’s draw with Kosovo was enough to qualify (AFP via Getty Images)

Sweden earned their first point of the campaign with a 1-1 draw at home to Slovenia but still finished bottom of Group B.

Ten-man Denmark dropped into the play-offs after a dramatic 4-2 defeat to Scotland, who qualified for their first World Cup since 1998.

Rasmus Hojlund and Patrick Dorgu twice pegged back their hosts, the second after Rasmus Kristensen had been sent off, only for Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean to scored in added time.

Belarus against Greece finished goalless.

PA

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