Ukraine vs. Spain: Score and Reaction from Euro 2016 Qualifier

Spain signed off their UEFA Euro 2016 qualification campaign on Monday evening with a 1-0 win over hosts Ukraine to top Group C.

The result ensured Mykhaylo Fomenko's side will settle for third place in the group, meaning they will advance to a play-off fixture.

Cesc Fabregas saw a first-half penalty saved by Ukraine No. 1 Andriy Pyatov to mar his 100th cap for the national team, but an early goal from international debutant Mario Gaspar was enough to bag their ninth win from 10 qualifying games.

ESPN FC's Dermot Corrigan pointed out that it was the defence standing out most for Spain once again on Monday as David De Gea came under heavier fire than might have been expected, but he was equal to any task:

Slovakia beat Luxembourg 4-2 in Group C's other highly anticipated clash to keep hold over second place and advance to the Euro 2016 finals, while Belarus and Macedonia drew 0-0 in a dead rubber.

Pyatov denied Fabregas in the 23rd minute, just moments after Gaspar headed Spain into the lead, and that stop came to play a massive role in the tie as Ukraine gathered confidence to mount a second-half challenge.

Sergei Chuzavkov/Associated Press

It couldn't have been a more drastic contrast to the manner in which Vicente del Bosque's second-string side started the Kiev clash, taking a firm hold of the possession stakes in a development that hardly surprised.

But even with a much-changed starting lineup—including the likes of Nolito in attack, Xabier Etxeita at centre-back and Mikel San Jose in midfield—the Mirror's Ed Malyon was left impressed by what he saw:

And it took just 20 minutes for newcomer Gaspar to start his international career with the brightest of first steps, meeting a Thiago Alcantara cross at the back post that left Pyatov grasping thin air.

And Spain had the chance to pile on the hurt just three minutes later, when Olexandr Kucher mistimed his tackle attempt on Fabregas inside the penalty box, but the Chelsea man couldn't make the opportunity count.

Statistician Misterchip suggested Fabregas should never have been the man taking the spot kick, 100th cap or not:

Pyatov made up for any earlier mistake by diving to his left and keeping Fabregas at bay, and Ukraine's hopes of gaining automatic qualification for Euro 2016 stayed alive as a result.

And veteran Fabregas would be forced to rue his error as the hosts forced their way into the fixture after half-time, with the forward duo of Yevhen Konoplyanka and Andriy Yarmolenko looking like the main threats to De Gea's goal.

It was in the 65th minute Ukraine missed a prime opportunity to equalise as those two combined, with Yarmolenko flashing a low drive across the face of Spain's goal and Konoplyanka just failing to make contact in the middle.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho had made the long trip to Kiev perhaps in order to keep an eye on midfield man Fabregas, but Corrigan couldn't help but note some irony in ex-Blue Juan Mata taking the captain's armband:

Substitute Serhiy Rybalka tested De Gea late on, but Ukraine's end product had let them down in the end and Gaspar's 20th-minute opener proved to be the difference between the two.

Del Bosque will take the three points with a smile considering this was largely a team made up of fringe stars, evidence of just how much depth they boast within their ranks.

Ukraine's defeat means Group F contenders Hungary cement their place as the best third-place finisher in the group stages, and they will head to the Euro 2016 finals. Fomenko's side will be one of the eight entered into the play-offs.

Post Match Reaction

Sergei Chuzavkov/Associated Press

Not that it would have affected Spain's standing at the top of qualifying Group C had they failed to capture the three points on Monday, but De Gea was nevertheless in heroic form to keep Ukraine at bay.

According to WhoScored.com, the Manchester United stopper made no fewer than 10 saves to earn a Man of the Match nomination, and Del Bosque wasn't blind to the display, hailing his No. 1 after the win, per Spanish newspaper Sport:

"

The experience was a good one with all the changes we were able to make. Ukraine played really well. David de Gea was great — so was Thiago. 

We have good players and from here our work is simpler, we are happy. It will be a problem to choose just 23 players for Euro 2016, but there’s still a long way to go until then.

"

And the Spain helmsman appreciated just how closely Ukraine ran his side for long periods of Monday's victory, adding that he hopes to see the eastern Europeans pull through the playoffs to make Euro 2016:

"I think Ukraine have a style and personality that not many teams have. I wish them the best [if they go into] the play-offs and hope we see them in France."