Spain win 25th straight qualifier at home to keep Scotland from clinching spot in Euro 2024

MADRID: Spain kept Scotland from becoming the first team to secure a place at the 2024 European Championship by beating the visitors 2-0 Thursday for their 25th consecutive home win in qualifiers.

Scotland only needed a draw to clinch a spot at their second straight Euros and were still level at 0-0 after more than 70 minutes. But two late goals for Spain in Seville ended Scotland’s perfect qualifying record and kept first place in Group A up for grabs.

Scotland still lead the group with 15 points, three more than Spain and five more than Norway, who won 4-0 at Cyprus with two goals by Erling Haaland. The top two from each group will qualify automatically for Euro 2024 in Germany.

Israel were supposed to host Switzerland in Group I on Thursday, but their match was postponed until November because of the war with Hamas. Israel’s game at Kosovo scheduled for Sunday was also postponed. Israel are now due to play three qualifiers in the one-week international break next month designed for just two games.

Álvaro Morata and Oihan Sancet scored for Spain, who extended their home winning streak in European qualifiers in a run that started after a 1-0 loss against Greece in 2003.

Morata broke the deadlock with a header from a cross by Jesús Navas in the 73rd minute and Sancet sealed the win from close range in the 86th at La Cartuja Stadium.

Scotland, which had no attempts in the first half, thought it had taken a 1-0 lead in the 60th when midfielder Scott McTominay scored with a superb free kick from a tight angle, but the goal was disallowed for an offside by Jack Hendry.

Scotland played at Euro 2020 in what was its first appearance at the tournament since 1996.

There were nearly 4,000 very loud Scotland fans on hand