Del Bosque delight as Spain sprint away from France

Goals from Jordi Alba and Alvaro Negredo ensured that la Roja put increasing between them and their World Cup Group I qualification rivals

Vicente del Bosque is delighted that Spain's 2-0 victory over Finland on Friday made 2014 World Cup qualification look increasingly guaranteed.

Goals from Jordi Alba and substitute Alvaro Negredo were enough to seal a 2-0 victory for the world champions in Helsinki, who now sit three points clear of France at the top of Group I following their goalless stalemate with Georgia, and the significance of the result was not lost on Del Bosque.

"We’ve achieved the three points and that was the important thing," he told Telecinco. "After France drawing and our victory, the difference becomes three points.

"It was a tough game. Not for the great quality of Finland, but because they made things very uncomfortable and were very solid. We attacked in a very small space and every time they came out on the counterattack, they did so quickly and caused danger."

Much had been made before the match over whether Iker Casillas or Victor Valdes would start in goal and Del Bosque opted for the former, who won his 150th cap despite not being first choice for Real Madrid.

"Iker? This isn’t the time for debate," he said, in no mood to discuss the issue. "Time will put everyone in their place. What happens at their club is a different matter entirely."