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Euro 2016 Qualifying Wrap: Spain enjoy rout

David Silva was the star man for the reigning European champions as they brushed aside minnows Macedonia in the Group C clash at the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia.

The Manchester City schemer played a part in three of his side's goals, first winning the penalty from which Sergio Ramos dinked home the opener.

Agim Ibraimi's penalty halved the deficit by scoring from the spot, but Sergio Busquets' maiden international goal in his 69th appearance on the stroke of half-time re-opened Spain's two-goal lead.

Silva was rewarded for his outstanding showing by drilling home Spain's fourth five minutes after the break, and Cesc Fabregas hit the crossbar before Pedro rounded off the win with a delightful lofted finish from another Silva assist in the closing stages.

Elsewhere in Group C, Robert Mak's goal gave Slovakia a valuable three points in a 1-0 win in Ukraine, while Luxembourg gained a point in a 1-1 draw at home to Belarus.

In Group E, England stole the early initiative as a second-half double from Danny Welbeck downed Switzerland at St Jakob-Park in Basle.

The match should represent England's biggest challenge of the pool, and manager Roy Hodgson was delighted when Welbeck opened up a tense affair by finishing at the back post after splendid work from Wayne Rooney and Raheem Sterling.

Estonia also started Group E with a victory, Ats Purje's 86th-minute winner sinking Slovenia in a 1-0 triumph, with the visitors not helped by Dalibor Stevanovic's red card. Rounding off the group, Lithuania were 2-0 winners in San Marino.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward, who became his country's record goalscorer in the 2-0 friendly win over Estonia last Thursday, laid on the assist for Erkan Zengin to cancel out David Alaba's early penalty.

Also in the pool, Russia benefited from two own goals and a penalty from Dmitri Kombarov as Fabio Capello's men beat Liechenstein 4-0, Artem Dzyuba rounding off the scoring in the 65th minute.