Bizarre own-goal helps Spain advance to last 16 at Euro 2020

SEVILLE, SPAIN — A bizarre blunder by the goalkeeper helped Spain find its scoring touch at the European Championship.

And it also helped them advance to the round of 16.

An embarrassing own-goal by goalkeeper Martin Dúbravka in the first half put Spain on its way to a 5-0 victory Wednesday, coming only minutes after the hosts had missed another penalty kick and wasted more scoring chances.

Dúbravka saved that early penalty from Álvaro Morata but then clumsily knocked the ball into his own net after it ricocheted high into the air off a shot by Pablo Sarabia in the 30th minute.

Dúbravka stood just off his line and waited for the ball to descend. He jumped to swat it over for a corner, but the ball veered to his left and rolled off his right hand and into the net.

Desolate, he stood by the goal line as some of his teammates came over to support him.

Aymeric Laporte added to Spain’s lead before halftime, and Sarabia, Ferran Torres and another own-goal in the second half made it five for “La Roja,” which had been facing elimination in front of its own fans.

The victory allowed Spain to advance in second place in Group E with five points. The team will next play Croatia in Copenhagen on Monday. Sweden, which defeated Poland, 3-2, in the other match, won the group. The result eliminated Slovakia, which needed at least a draw to guarantee its place in the next round.

Lewandowski, Poland out

ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA — Even with two goals, Robert Lewandowski still couldn’t stop Poland from making an early exit at the European Championship.

The FIFA player of the year made amends for an astounding early triple miss by scoring twice in the second half on Wednesday, but Viktor Claesson got the winning goal in stoppage time to give Sweden a 3-2 victory.

Emil Forsberg scored twice for the Swedes, which finish in first place in Group E and will next face a third-place finisher in Glasgow on Tuesday.

For Poland and Lewandowski, it’s another early exit from a major soccer tournament. The Bayern Munich striker leaves Euro 2020 with three goals, his best haul at a World Cup or European Championship.

Goretzka keeps Germany in

MUNICH — Leon Goretzka scored late to keep Germany in the European Championship after a 2-2 draw against Hungary on Wednesday.

Jamal Musiala made an immediate impact after coming on in the 82nd minute, eluding three defenders to give Timo Werner room to shoot. Werner was blocked but the rebound fell for Goretzka, who beat goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi in the 84th.

It had looked like Ádám Szalai was going to drag his team into the round of 16.

The Hungary captain scored one goal early against the run of play and set up András Schäfer to make it 2-1 right after Kai Havertz had equalized for Germany.

Ronaldo lifts Portugal

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY — Cristiano Ronaldo scored two penalties to tie the overall men’s scoring record with 109 goals and Portugal advanced to the round of 16 at the European Championship after a 2-2 draw with France on Wednesday.

Ronaldo’s tournament-leading fourth and fifth goals moved him level with former Iran striker Ali Daei at 109, while also extending his overall tournament record to 14.

Karim Benzema scored both of France’s goals, his first ever at the tournament after failing to find the target at Euro 2008 and 2012.

Defending champion Portugal finished in third place in the group, one spot behind Germany.

France, which had already qualified, was first.