Spain beat Belarus 3-0 to stay three points behind group leaders Slovakia in Euro 2016 qualifiers

Real Madrid midfielder Isco helped his national side Spain open the scoring against Belarus as they stayed three points behind leaders Slovakia in Group C of Euro 2016 qualifiers.

Isco opened the scoring when he curled the ball home from 18 yards in the 18th minute, followed by a second from Barcelona's Sergio Busquets as he drove the ball in from outside the area almost straight from the restart.

Busquets' club-mate Pedro completed the scoring when he smashed a shot high into the net from inside the box, The BBC reported.

Slovakia maintained their 100 percent qualifying record with a 2-0 win in Macedonia thanks to goals from Juraj Kucka and Adam Nemec.

In the day's other Group C game, Dynamo Kiev forward Andriy Yarmolenko scored a hat-trick as Ukraine, who are level on points with Spain, won 3-0 at bottom side Luxembourg.

Elsewhere, Austria are four points clear at the top of Group G after 1860 Munich striker Rubin Okotie gave them a 1-0 win over Russia.

Meanwhile, Sweden climbed above Russia into second after a 1-1 draw in Montenegro, thanks to Zlatan Ibrahimovic poking in the opener for the Swedes before Manchester City midfielder Stevan Jovetic equalised from the spot 10 minutes from time.

England have a commanding six-point lead in Group E following a 3-1 win over Slovenia, but the battle is on for second spot after Switzerland beat Lithuania 4-0, the report added.