Spain opened up a six-point lead at the top of FIFA World Cup qualifying Group 5 after Gerard Piqué’s first international goal helped Vicente Del Bosque’s team to a 1-0 win over Turkey at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Turning the ball in after Xavi Hernández’s 60th-minute free-kick had come back across goal via Sergio Ramos, FC Barcelona defender Piqué kept the UEFA EURO 2008™ winners well on track for a berth in South Africa next summer. Spain now possess a comfortable cushion over second-placed Bosnia-Herzegovina, with Turkey seven points back in third ahead of Wednesday’s return encounter in Istanbul.

The contest itself was anything but straightforward, however, as Spain struggled to break down a resolute Turkey side who made the early running. After five minutes, Villarreal CF’s Nihat Kahveci fired narrowly wide and, moments later, Semih Sentürk tested Iker Casillas’s reflexes with a thumping drive. The hosts came into the game looking to extend their unbeaten run to 30 matches but had to wait until the brink of half-time for their first opening, Fernando Torres’s shot from the edge of the area drawing a good save from Volkan Demirel.

Tuncay Sanli went close for the visitors shortly after the restart, yet just as the Madrid crowd were becoming apprehensive, Piqué capped his second international appearance with the winner. David Silva, Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos all had chances to add a more flattering aspect to the scoreline, but as it was, the hosts maintained their 100 per cent record and will be hoping for a similar outcome in midweek.