Audio By Carbonatix
European champions Spain suffered a first qualifying defeat for eight years as former Chelsea player Miroslav Stoch helped earn Slovakia a famous victory.
Iker Casillas deflected Juraj Kucka's 30-yard free-kick into his own net to give the hosts the lead in the Euro 2016 Group C clash.
Substitute Paco Alcacer equalised for the Spain with a composed low finish from eight-yards.
But Stoch won it with a close-range header after a cross by Michal Duris.
Pain for Spain |
|---|
|
Spain's last qualifying defeat was on 7 October 2006 when a side containing the likes of David Villa and Fernando Torres lost 2-0 away to Sweden in a Euro 2008 qualifier |
The final whistle was greeted by a huge roar as the visitors, who defeated Italy 4-0 in the Euro 2012 final, lost for the first time in 37 World Cup and European Championship qualifying matches, a run stretching back to 2006.
"We showed patience but we were not effective and their keeper was superb," said Spain manager Vicente del Bosque.
Costa, who has scored nine goals in seven Premier League games for Chelsea, has not found the net in six appearances for his country.
Spain, who travel to Luxembourg on Sunday, have three points from two games, while Slovakia head the group with two wins from two.
Spain have lost four of their last six matches
Elsewhere, England's Group E rivals Lithuania and Slovenia both won.
Switzerland lost for the second straight game as a 79th-minute penalty by Milivoje Novakovic earned Slovenia a 1-0 win.
Lithuania made it two wins out of two as Saulius Mikoliunas struck 14 minutes from time to sink Estonia, who host England on Sunday.
Ola Toivonen's second-half goal earned battling Sweden a 1-1 draw with Russia in Group G after Alexsandr Kokorin had given the visitors the lead in Stockholm.
In the same group, Austria secured a 2-1 win away to Moldova.
Ukraine scored two late goals to win 2-0 away to Belarus in Group C, while Besart Abdurahimi struck deep into stoppage time as Macedonia left it late to beat Luxembourg 3-2.
Also in Group C, Montenegro were held to a goalless draw away to Liechtenstein.
Latest Stories
-
FIFA World Cup: Iran moves camp from USA to Mexico, amid ongoing conflict
1 hour -
Tamale police arrest suspect with large quantities of drugs
2 hours -
BoG pushes for integrated African payment systems to boost trade — Dr Asiama
2 hours -
Two people shot in encounter with Secret Service near the White House
2 hours -
Red Cross volunteers die from suspected Ebola in DR Congo
2 hours -
US Secret Service investigates reports of shots near White House
3 hours -
ECG injects GH¢3m into power upgrades across 40 Accra communities
3 hours -
‘Owadiah’ makes history: William Opare becomes first Ghanaian to break 45 seconds in 400m
3 hours -
Scottish woman ‘was on a mission’ to find out who her Ghanaian husband was. Then she died
3 hours -
Four Ada SHS students arrested after viral cutlass threat video sparks alarm
3 hours -
Christopher Bonsu Baah win Staff Player of the Year award in debut season with Al Qadsiah
4 hours -
Laryea Kingston’s Uganda beat Ghana 8-7 on penalties to secure U-17 World Cup spot and extend Black Starlets’ absence to nine years
4 hours -
FIFA U17 World Cup playoffs: Uganda beat Black Starlets on penalties to qualify
4 hours -
GN Savings and Loans: Ndoum thanks Mahama after Court of Appeal victory
4 hours -
2026 U17 WWCQ: Goalfest in Accra as Black Maidens hit Liberia for six
4 hours