Defending champions Spain beat Serbia 3-0 to secure place in UEFA Nations League quarterfinals

Aymeric Laporte, Alvaro Morata, Alex Baena scor in Group A4 match; Morata misses penalty in 2nd half

By Can Erozden

Defending champions Spain qualified for the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals after shutting out Serbia 3-0 on Tuesday on matchday four.

The Spanish trio of Aymeric Laporte, Alvaro Morata and Alex Baena scored in the Group A4 match at Cordoba's Nuevo Arcangel.

Defender Laporte scored an early header to give a 1-0 lead to the hosts.

Longtime Spanish forward Morata the team’s captain, missed a penalty shot in the second half while his team had a 1-0 lead.

But in minute 65, Morata doubled the lead for Spain.

Baena added a third goal for the Spanish national team in the 77th minute on a freekick. Serbia were down to 10 men before Baena's goal.

Defender Strahinja Pavlovic was sent off for a foul on midfielder Mikel Oyarzabal, which caused a freekick.

Spain, the group leaders, have 10 points to book their place at the Nations League last eight, joining Germany in the next stage.

Second-place Denmark, which drew 2-2 against Switzerland, have seven points. Serbia are third with four points. Switzerland, which bottoms out the group, took their first point in the home draw.

The last-place teams of each group will be relegated to League B.

- Portugal draw with Scotland in Glasgow

Group A1's unbeaten leaders Portugal drew with Scotland 0-0 on Tuesday.at Glasgow's Hampden Park and missed a chance to join Spain and Germany in the next stage.

Hosts Scotland bagged their first point in the group.

But Portugal can secure a last-eight berth in their next fixture in November.

Portugal, which have 10 points in Group A1, will host third-place Poland on Nov. 15 in Porto.

On Tuesday, Poland drew 3-3 against Croatia in Warsaw as the hosts have four points now.

Second-place Croatia are on seven points in the group after a draw with Poland. The Croatians will visit Scotland in Glasgow on matchday five on Nov. 15.

- Tuesday's results in Nations League

Group A1

Scotland - Portugal: 0-0

Poland - Croatia: 3-3

Group A4

Spain - Serbia: 3-0

Switzerland - Denmark: 2-2

Group C2

Kosovo - Greek Cypriot administration: 3-0

Lithuania - Romania: 1-2

Group C3

Northern Ireland - Bulgaria: 5-0