Holders Spain kicked off their European Championship title defence in style after a cheeky Sergio Ramos penalty set up a 5-1 victory over Macedonia in their opening Group C qualifier on Monday.
Looking to bounce back from their 2014 World Cup debacle in Brazil, Spain were much too strong for the 76th-ranked Macedonians as Paco Alcacer, Sergio Busquets, David Silva and Pedro also scored in La Roja’s biggest win since they beat Tahiti 10-0 at last year’s Confederations Cup.
Ramos’s dinked spot kick down the middle came in the 15th minute and Alcacer, making his competitive debut, volleyed home from close range two minutes later before Macedonia pulled a goal back with a 28th-minute penalty from Agim Ibraimi.
Busquets struck with a deflected effort in first-half added time, Silva made it 4-1 five minutes after the break and after numerous chances, including a Cesc Fabregas effort that struck the frame of the goal, Pedro scored the fifth with a cute chip in stoppage time.
“This team has a lot of quality and excellent players and it was just a matter of time before we scored,” Valencia player Alcacer told the television broadcaster TVE.
“I am very pleased with the match, above all for my competitive debut here at home in Valencia, and the goal and victory.”
Spain were missing injured playmaker Andres Iniesta at Levante’s Ciutat de Valencia stadium and coach Vicente del Bosque handed Fabregas his job instead.
Alcacer started in a three-pronged attack with Pedro and Silva while Busquets and Koke completed a three-man midfield in the absence of Xavi and Xabi Alonso who both retired after the World Cup.
Fabregas went close with a curling effort from the edge of the area in the ninth minute before Daniel Mosjov felled Silva and Ramos stepped up to take the spot kick.
The Real Madrid defender’s clever chip, which fooled Macedonia goalkeeper and captain Tome Pacovski, was almost identical to his successful effort against Portugal in a shootout in the semi-finals of Euro 2012.