Slovakia ease past Luxembourg

Slovakia strolled to a 3-0 win over Group C minnows Luxembourg in European Championship qualifying.

Adam Nemec, Vladimir Weiss and Peter Pekarik gave Slovakia a commanding half-time lead which they held on to until the end.

The win preserved Slovakia's 100 per cent record in qualifying through five games and kept them ahead of Spain at the head of the group.

Viktor Pecovsky fired an early warning shot before Jan Durica's rocket of a free-kick came back off the crossbar and broke to Nemec, who hooked home nicely on the turn.

Goalkeeper Jonathan Joubert kept out one effort from Weiss but was beaten six minutes later when Juraj Kucka swung the ball into the box and the winger controlled, turned towards goal and finished low into the back of the net.

Maurice Deville provided Luxembourg's first sight of goal when his header was saved by Matus Kozacik but it was 3-0 when the ragged visiting defence opened wide for Tomas Hubocan to play in right-back Pekarik, who finished left-footed through Joubert's legs.

Joubert saved from Weiss again before half-time but Slovakia were in total control, and there was no sign of a Luxembourg response in the early stages of the second period.

Slovakia's Juraj Kucka went off injured before Lars Gerson finally provided an effort to test the hosts, but Kozacik was equal to it.

There were no other chances of note in a dire second half, with Slovakia having done enough.