Slovakia sew up second place with big win

Slovakia beat Kazakhstan 6-0 to secure second place in Group 9 of UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying.

A 13th-minute penalty from Róbert Mak gave Slovakia the perfect start, with Lukáš Štetina scoring a second ten minutes before half-time and Mak adding a third on the stoke of the interval. Substitute Filip Oršula then got in on the act midway through the second half, Kristián Kolčák made it 5-0 and Milan Lalkovič rounded off the scoring with a minute remaining.

Mak's neat opener propelled Slovakia to an impressive display, with Štetina's fierce shot giving them a two-goal cushion just after the half hour. Mak's close-range finish, following a fine pass from the left wing by Adam Žilák, all but assured Ivan Galád's side of victory with 45 minutes still to play.

Mak then turned provider on 68 minutes, playing a precise pass into the penalty area which Oršula turned in left-footed. Kolčák added the hosts' fifth late on, with Lalkovič then profiting from more good work by Mak to add number six.