A number of injuries meant that head coach Vicente del Bosque could not select his strongest XI for this match and his problems worsened in the first period when David Silva and Alvaro Morata were both forced off injured.
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While the injuries are bad news for Spain, Silva’s absence will be particularly damaging for Manchester City who have now lost two players over the worldwide break after Argentina global Sergio Aguero pulled a hamstring in his country’s 2-0 defeat to Ecuador on Thursday.
Spain suffered another first-half setback when Morata had to be stretchered off the field having landed awkwardly on his leg, with Alcacer replacing him.
The second half felt like a training match at times, with Spain’s resounding grip on matters far too much for Luxembourg’s counterattacking threat, but Alcacer provided a few welcome respite just after the hour mark, when he latched onto Fabregas’ through ball and buried a finish beyond Joubert.
European champions Spain are now assured of their place in France next summer to defend their title.
Spain dominated throughout but had to wait until late in the first-half to take the lead as Cazorla capitalised on poor goalkeeping.
Nonetheless, Spain did not lose any focus and continued to rain shots at Sebastien Joubert’s goal, and they were eventually rewarded for their resolve as Cazorla mopped up Pedro’s rebound shortly before the interval.
“Finally we have managed it”, Cazorla told Spanish television.
Cazorla then finished off the rout with only five minutes remaining, the Arsenal midfielder receiving the ball just outside the visitors’ box and proceeding to smash a shot low and hard into the bottom-left corner. It was not exactly a performance that would have anxious the likes of Germany and France ahead of Euro 2016, but Spain have now not conceded a single goal in a competitive match since last October. Five minutes later, insult was added to injury when Cazorla netted his second on what proved a comfortable night.
85′ – GOAL – Spain 4-0 Luxembourg! Iker Casillas’ first save happened more than halfway through the second half.
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Spain will play their twelfth successive global tournament (World Cups and European Championships).
