Spain eke out 2-0 victory over Kosovo
Sports Desk, Sep 8 (EFE).- Spain had to work hard Wednesday in a 2-0 win against Kosovo that put La Roja back in control of their own destiny in the battle to qualify for World Cup 2022.
With 13 points from six matches, Spain have an edge of 4 points over Sweden, who lost to Greece on Wednesday but have two games in hand.
Coach Luis Enrique continued to experiment with lineup combination and tactics, an approach that might have proved costly against a more talented side.
Spain were sloppy on defense and goalkeeper Unai Simon had to be sharp to prevent the mistakes being transformed into Kosovo goals.
La Roja were also below their usual standard going forward, though the manager’s decision to give Pablo Fornals his first international start bore fruit.
The West Ham United man spearheaded the Spanish attack in the first half and after wasting a pair of chances, he put the visitors ahead with a goal in the 32nd minute.
The slim lead was threatened early in the second half as a consequence of defensive errors, but Simon kept the hosts off the scoreboard and Ferran Torres added an insurance goal in the 89th minute – upheld after a VAR check for possible offside.
Already an established figure at Manchester City, Torres has emerged as the clutch striker for a Spain side struggling to find consistency. EFE rmm/dr
