Spain launched their bid to carry a second World Cup in spectacular fashion on Wednesday by shredding Costa Rica 7-0 in a brutal show which is able to function a warning to their rivals.
Avoiding the destiny of each giants Argentina and Group E rivals Germany, who misplaced 2-1 to Japan earlier on, Luis Enrique’s fancied facet sparkled at Doha’s Al Thumama Stadium, dominating possession and taking their possibilities mercilessly.
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Ferran Torres netted twice and Marco Asensio, Dani Olmo, Gavi, Carlos Soler and Alvaro Morata had been additionally on the scoresheet for the Euro 2020 semi-finalists in an emphatic romp.
Despite incomes Spain’s greatest ever World Cup win, Luis Enrique stated his staff may nonetheless enhance.
“Our goal is to constantly dominate the play, and for that it’s a must to have the ball,” Luis Enrique advised TVE.
“Your opponent will get drained and may’t get into it, our urgent was distinctive and the 16 gamers we used had been excellent — though we nonetheless have room to enhance.” In the previous the 2010 World Cup winners have paid the worth for profligacy however all three forwards Luis Enrique chosen netted within the first half to pay again his belief in them.
The coach positioned Asensio at false 9, flanked by Olmo and Torres, beginning with Morata and Ansu Fati on the bench.
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The coach opted to deploy Manchester City midfielder Rodri Hernandez in central defence, alongside membership teammate Aymeric Laporte, accurately anticipating his staff would monopolise the ball.
“Spain was a lot better than us, that’s apparent, they saved possession all through the match,” stated Costa Rica coach Luis Fernando Suarez.
“They performed within the ultimate third for a lot of the recreation and we did the precise reverse. We didn’t assault, we didn’t preserve possession and once we had it we didn’t shield it.
“Spain performed an incredible recreation. We didn’t.”
It took solely 11 minutes for La Roja to open the scoring, with Gavi feeding Olmo, with the RB Leipzig winger taking one elegant contact to show and one other to stroke the ball gently previous Keylor Navas.
Olmo’s strike was Spain’s one hundredth World Cup aim, with La Roja turning into the sixth staff to hit that milestone.
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Costa Rica, who had been a shock bundle on the 2014 World Cup, beating Italy and Uruguay and drawing with England to prime their group, had been shortly sliced aside once more.
Jordi Alba’s low drilled cross was rammed dwelling by Real Madrid ahead Asensio previous his former teammate Navas, who may need performed extra to maintain it out.
Torres stroked dwelling from the penalty spot after Alba was fouled by Oscar Duarte — a tender name on a tough evening for Los Ticos, who had been by no means within the recreation and did not muster a shot at aim.
Barcelona ahead Torres capitalised on extra slack defending to fireside the fourth previous Navas early within the second half.
Luis Enrique was in a position to take off the bubbling Pedri and Torres earlier than the hour mark, and handed teenage Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde his debut.
The 19-year-old roared up the pitch within the build-up to Spain’s fifth aim, with substitute Morata crossing for Gavi to drill dwelling with aplomb.
Kopa Trophy winner Gavi grew to become the third youngest goalscorer at a World Cup at 18 years and 110 days outdated, after Mexico’s Manuel Rosas and report holder Pele.
Soler and Morata then obtained in on the act with stoppage-time strikes to pile additional distress on Costa Rica and assist Spain flex their muscle tissues in an ideal opening match in Qatar.
