World Sports News in Brief

Switzerland qualify for Euro 2020 with win over Gibraltar

Switzerland qualified for Euro 2020 with an easy 6-1 win away to Gibraltar in their final Group D qualifying match on Monday, with Cedric Itten scoring twice, which sent them on top of the group with 17 points.

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Group D - Gibraltar v Switzerland - Victoria Stadium, Gibraltar - November 18, 2019 Switzerland's Loris Benito celebrates scoring their fourth goal with Granit Xhaka and teammates. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Group D - Gibraltar v Switzerland - Victoria Stadium, Gibraltar - November 18, 2019 Switzerland's Loris Benito celebrates scoring their fourth goal with Granit Xhaka and teammates. (Reuters)

* Denmark got the point they needed to seal a place at Euro 2020 as Group D runners-up with a 1-1 draw in Ireland on Monday that consigned the hosts to the playoffs for the third successive tournament.

* Spain rounded off their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign with a 5-0 win at home to Romania on Monday (Nov 18) amid doubts over Robert Moreno's future as national team coach with media reports swirling that Luis Enrique could return to the role.

* Argentina's Lionel Messi scored an added-time penalty to salvage a 2-2 draw with Uruguay as they twice came from behind in an entertaining friendly match in Israel on Monday (Nov 18).

* Italy thumped hapless Armenia 9-1 on Monday (Nov 18) to complete their Euro 2020 qualifying group with a perfect record and extend their record-breaking run to 11 successive international wins as they looked forward to next year's tournament.

* Egypt, without injured striker Mo Salah, lacked a cutting edge in front of goal as they were held to a 0-0 draw by tiny Comoros Islands in their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Monday.

* Rafael Nadal was confirmed as the year-end world number one for the fifth time after the ATP released its season-closing rankings on Monday (Nov 18). The Spaniard did not make it beyond the group stage of last week's ATP Finals in London but Novak Djokovic's failure to reach the semi-finals meant Nadal closed the year with 9,985 points, 840 clear of the Serb.

* Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev helped Russia open the inaugural Davis Cup Finals with a 3-0 victory over defending champions Croatia in Madrid on Monday (Nov 18).

* The Repsol Honda MotoGP team will be a family affair next season after the Japanese manufacturer announced on Monday that Alex Marquez was joining as team mate to older brother Marc.

* Spain coach Robert Moreno is to be dismissed from the role according to Spanish media reports on Monday after his side thrashed Romania 5-0 in their final Euro 2020 qualifier.

Reuters, CNA