WHAT A PERFORMANCE!
The Spanish nationwide staff made their debut within the 2022 World Cup with a spectacular 7-0 win over Costa Rica within the Group E opener in Doha. Luis Enrique’s troops have been good from begin to end, scored a number of superb targets and made an enormous assertion to indicate Spain are critical contenders within the event. 5 Barcelona stars began and Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Pedri, Gavi and Ferran Torres all performed very properly as La Roja appeared actually, actually good.
FIRST HALF
The stage was set from the very starting: Costa Rica have been going to drop deep and defend for his or her lives, and Spain was going to have all the possession and attempt to break down what has all the time been a really cussed protection.
La Roja wanted to be affected person and exact with their passing, and transfer our bodies within the last third to create possibilities. And so they did precisely that: from the opening second the Spanish performed wonderful attacking soccer, with the midfield shifting the ball shortly back and forth and the entrance three being energetic and decisive with their play.
Getting an early objective was all the time the important thing, they usually received two: the primary got here within the eleventh minute after a pleasant passing sequence down the left wing, a really good help by Gavi and a terrific end from Dani Olmo; 10 minutes later, Spain received their second because of an ideal low cross by Jordi Alba and a sensible end from Marco Asensio.
The proper first half continued when Alba was introduced down contained in the field, and Ferran Torres turned the primary Barça participant to attain in Qatar with a assured penalty in opposition to Keylor Navas to make it 3-0 and kill the sport off after a half-hour.
The halftime whistle got here to finish a dream begin for Spain, however a World Cup filled with upsets confirmed that they couldn’t let their guard down and there was nonetheless work to be achieved within the second half.
SECOND HALF
It didn’t take lengthy for Spain to really put the sport to mattress: simply 9 minutes in, after a pleasant run and cross from Gavi, Ferran received the ball contained in the six-yard field and scored a really good spinning objective to get his second of the night time and make it 4-0.
The ultimate 40 minutes have been a cruise for the winners and Luis Enrique shortly took off 4 of the Barça gamers who began and gave a Spain and World Cup debut to Alejandro Balde, which was a really particular second for the teen.
Though they weren’t as dominant and scintilating within the last minutes Spain continued to assault and search for extra targets, they usually received a fifth because of a sensational volley by Gavi after a cross from Álvaro Morata to enhance their objective distinction much more. There was nonetheless time for extra, as Carlos Soler was first to the rebound from a Navas save to make it six and Morata joined the scoring get together with a seventh in added time.
The ultimate whistle got here to finish a sensational night time for La Roja, who’re already very near qualification thanks largely to their objective distinction. Up subsequent is a gathering with Germany, and Spain is not going to solely qualify however presumably eradicate the Germans with a win. And on as we speak’s proof, they’re clearly favorites in that one. This staff appears to be like scary good.
Spain: Simón; Azpilicueta, Rodri, Laporte, Alba (Balde 64’); Gavi, Busquets (Koke 64’), Pedri (Soler 57’); Ferran (Morata 57’), Asensio (Williams 69’), Olmo
Targets: Olmo (11’), Asensio (21’), Ferran (pen 31’, 54’), Gavi (75’), Soler (90’), Morata (90+3’)
Costa Rica: Navas; Martínez (Watson 46’), Duarte, Calvo, Oviedo (Matarrita 82’); Fuller, Borges (Aguilera 72’), Tejeda, Bennette (Ruiz 61’); Campbell, Contreras (Zamora 61’)
Targets: None