Spain 7-0 Costa Rica
My dark horse for the World Cup 2022.
Not because I think Spain have the best squad but because I have a feeling Luis Enrique is potentially building something special.
Incidentally, I did say this before a ball was kicked at Qatar 2022, just in case anyone thinks I’m jumping on the bandwagon of this rout.
For this was an evening of World Cup highlights to savour for the Spaniards as poor Costa Rica were put to the sword.
It was as if Luis Enrique had watched Argentina’s and Germany’s shock defeats in the preceding 24 hours and vowed that his nation was not going to suffer the same fate.
For as soon as Dani Olmo had netted the opener in the 11th minute, there was no way the SBOTOP World Cup betting odds were going to be turned on their head again as Spain scored seven for the first time in World Cup history.
Highlights of the game
Spain were hoping for a winning start in a group also containing multiple champions Germany and a dangerous Japan team.
Costa Rica, ranked 31st in the world, were hoping to emulate the quarter final appearance of their Class of 2014.
With issues at centre-back, Enrique handed midfielder, Rodri, a starting place at the heart of the defence alongside his Manchester City team-mate Aymeric Laporte.
Sergio Busquets, the only survivor of their 2010 World Cup triumph, was handed his usual role sitting in front of the back-line.
Former Arsenal striker Joel Campbell, who scored their first goal at the 2014 World Cup when they reached the quarter-finals and also got the winner against New Zealand that sent them to Qatar, started up front for the North Americans.
We knew Spain’s next goal would be their 100th at the World Cup – their first was netted by Jose Iraragorri in 1934 – and after two near misses, teenager Gavi lifted a delightful chipped pass through the middle and Olmo smartly held off a challenge from Oscar Duarte, spinning his man before lifting a beautiful finish beyond Keylor Navas.
One became two as an inviting cross from Jordi Alba was swept home by Marco Asensio.
Barely half an hour had passed when Duarte kicked Alba’s heel and Ferran Torres calmly sent Navas the wrong way from the spot.
They were cruising but there was no let-up after the break, although there was an element of luck for Torres nine minutes after the restart when the ball rebounded into his path and he created space to rifle home.
Barcelona’s young sensation Gavi got number five with a delightful finish with the outside of his boot after being picked out by substitute Alvaro Morata, his volley going in off the post.
Carlos Soler clinically added number six after Navas had palmed out a low cross from another substitute, Nico Williams, and it was Morata who had the final say with a finish of real quality after a 1-2 with the man who started it all off, Olmo.
For Costa Rica, and particularly veteran goalkeeper Navas, who was afforded little defensive protection throughout, it was a perfect example of the luck to befall them, landing in group with two teams that have a genuine chance of winning the tournament.
In fact, it was hard not to feel sympathy for Navas, a fine goalkeeper who made his name in Spain as a custodian during Real Madrid’s three-in-a-row Champions League titles and caught their attention with a string of man-of-the-match performances for his country at the 2014 World Cup.
As for Espana, they didn’t always convince in qualifying, not least when they made hard work of the likes of Georgia, but the men in red are intent on lifting the trophy again and here were seven good reasons for setting their objectives so high.
Key statistics
Gavi (18 years, 110 days) has become the third youngest player to score in a World Cup match, behind Pele (17 years, 249 days) and Manuel Rosas (18 years, 99 days).
Asensio is Spain’s 50th different goalscorer at the World Cup (excluding own goals).
Spain have never lost against the Central American side (won three, drawn one).
Spain have become the sixth nation to score 100 goals at the World Cup, after Germany, Brazil, Italy, Argentina and France.
This was only the second time in their history they have scored three goals in the first half of a World Cup match (also doing so against Brazil in 1934).
Costa Rica have failed to win any of their last seven World Cup matches.
What’s next?
Both nations will now aim to produce their ‘Sunday best’.
Costa Rica first meet Japan and then, on Sunday night, the most exciting match of the tournament so far as 2010 world champions Spain meet 2014 world champions Germany – their first meeting since a Nations League clash two years ago when Spain hit six without reply in what was the German’s heaviest defeat since 1931.
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