The Euro 2024 saw a goal galore night when Spain scored seven goals,Georgia one, Croatia five and Scotland slammed three goals against their respective opponentson Friday at different venues.
Lamine Yamal brightened the gloom that has descended over Spanish football by becoming the country's youngest ever player and goalscorer as La Roja thrashed Georgia 7-1 Friday to get their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign back on track.
On a night of goals, Scotland beat Cyprus 3-0 and Croatia put five past Latvia while Portugal were made to work a bit harder, Bruno Fernandes on target in the 1-0 win in Slovakia.
The build up to Spain's match was tarnished by the ongoing saga of federation president Luis Rubiales and his kiss on the lips of women's midfielder Jennifer Hermoso in the aftermath of their World Cup triumph over England in Sydney last month.
Spanish public prosecutors announced Friday they had filed a lawsuit against Rubiales for sexual assault and coercion.
Spain's mood in the Euro qualifiers was also not helped by a defeat by Scotland in their second game had left them fourth in Group A.
But they climbed up to second with a big win in Tbilisi, inspired by an Alvaro Morata hat-trick - although the Atletico Madrid forward's treble takes second place to Yamal's superb first appearance for his country at 16 years and 57 days old.
The Barcelona teenager came on from the bench with Nico Williams after 43 minutes to replace Marco Asensio and Dani Olmo, who had both suffered knocks, with Spain 4-0 up and cruising.
Yamal finished lethally in the 74th minute to send Spain 7-1 up after Williams found him with a cut-back.
"I'm happy obviously, for my debut and my goal," Yamal told Spanish broadcaster Teledeporte.
"It's a dream, I'm living in a dream right now."
The Scots made it five wins from five as Scott McTominay, Ryan Porteous and John McGinn all struck within the opening half an hour in Larnaca.
Steve Clarke's men could seal their place in Germany next year with three games to spare should Norway and Georgia draw in Oslo Tuesday.
Fernandes earned Portugal a fifth consecutive triumph in qualifying, his goal securing a 1-0 win over Slovakia in Bratislava.
Roberto Martinez's side have not conceded a goal in Group J, scoring 15, and are five points clear of their opponents who are second after being beaten for the first time.
Cristiano Ronaldo, making his 201st Portugal appearance at the age of 38, scored against Slovakia back in 2005 in a World Cup qualifier, one of a record 850 career goals, but could not add to the tally on this occasion.
In the 43rd minute, Fernandes sent Portugal ahead, drilling home from a tight angle into the far corner, his third goal of the qualifying campaign.
