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Spain qualifies for 2018 World Cup by beating Albania, topping Group G

REUTERS/Heino Kalis

Spain is heading to the 2018 FIFA World Cup after Julen Lopetegui's side defeated Albania 3-0 on Friday, and that result, plus Italy's 1-1 draw with Macedonia, guarantees La Furia Roja a top-spot finish in Group G with one match remaining.

As it stands, Spain sits atop the group with 25 points, five more points than the Italians who sit in second. Third-placed Albania has 13 points and can no longer catch the Azzurri, but Italy is still fighting to secure a play-off spot, which does not necessarily coincide with finishing second as only eight of the nine second-placed teams get to contest that final round of qualifying.

The result is a shock for Italy, as Macedonia's Aleksandar Trajkovski scored a 77th-minute equaliser to cancel out Giorgio Chiellini 40th-minute opener. That draw meant Spain qualified early off the back of a comprehensive showing against the Albanians that saw Rodrigo, Isco, and Thiago Alcantara all find the back of the net within the first half-hour of play.

Spain is now the 11th nation to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, which will take place in Russia. It is the nation's 15th World Cup qualification and sees the 2010 champion once again try and stake a claim for the global prize.

Italy, on the other hand, faces the potential of missing out in the play-off round, and will need to drum up more positive results as a final Group G tilt against Albania on Oct. 9 serves only as a formality at this point, as is Spain's final match against Israel.

The play-offs will take place between Nov. 9-14. It's then that Italy will discover its World Cup fate.

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