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Spain began their 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign with a thumping 7-0 defeat of Costa Rica at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday (November 23).
Goals from Dani Olmo (11'), Marco Asensio (21'), Ferran Torres (31', 54'), Gavi (75'), Carlos Soler (90') and Alvaro Morata (90'+3') helped La Roja take all three points and go atop Group E just hours after Germany suffered a shock 2-1 defeat against Japan.
The European giants dominated proceedings in the first half, completing 548 passes to Costa Rica's 73 — with teenagers Pedri and Gavi dictating play from midfield. They passed their way past their South American opponents and took the lead just 11 minutes into the game. Gavi’s scooped pass deflected towards Dani Olmo, who controlled the ball on the turn and shot past the onrushing Keylor Navas.
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While Kai Havertz faltered to deceive as a false nine in Germany's defeat to Japan, Marco Asensio looked splendid in that role against Costa Rica. Ten minutes after breaking the deadlock, La Furia Roja doubled their lead when Jordi Alba’s cross found Asensio 12 yards out, whose first-time effort sailed past the diving Navas.
Close to the half-hour mark, Costa Rica gave away a penalty when Oscar Duarte snapped Alba’s heel. Torres stepped up and converted from the spot to put Spain in a commanding position with almost an hour left to play.
The Barcelona winger added another after the break when he got to Gavi’s cutback, saw the ball play pinball with two Costa Rican defenders before stealing it back and shooting low past Navas.
Gavi capped off his excellent performance by getting on the score sheet in the 75th minute. Alejandro Balde ran through the Costa Rica midfield and found Alvaro Morata, who cut back and picked out the teenager.
Gavi volleyed home with the outside of his boot to become the youngest goalscorer (18 years, 110 days) in a World Cup game since Pele (17 years, 249 days) in the 1958 final against Sweden.
Substitute Carlos Soler scored Spain's sixth in the 90th minute. Morata added a seventh in the third minute of stoppage time as La Roja sealed a commanding win to lay down the marker as an early contender. Interestingly, Spain had scored just eight goals throughout the tournament in 2010 when they emerged as the champions.
On that note, here are five hits and flops from Spain's convincing defeat of Costa Rica:
#1 Hit - Ferran Torres | Spain
Ferran Torres, who plays as a winger or a wide forward rather than a false nine, now has 16 goals in 37 appearances for Spain. He took both his goals against Costa Rica with poise and was substituted before the hour mark to keep him fresh for the upcoming games.
As for stats, the Barcelona youngster became the third player to score twice on his World Cup debut for Spain.
#2 Flop - Carlos Martinez | Costa Rica
Carlos Martinez had a torrid time on his World Cup debut. He was overrun by Jordi Alba and Dani Olmo but got little support from any of his teammates.
After looking lost for most of the first half, manager Luis Fernando Suarez made the sensible call of taking him out of the firing line by substituting him at half-time.
#3 Hit - Gavi | Spain
Gavi began the game as La Roja's youngest player at the World Cup and ended as their youngest-ever goalscorer in the competition. The Golden Boy and Kopa Trophy winner is just 18 years and 110 days old.
To say that the future — his, Spain's, and Barcelona's — is bright would be an understatement.
#4 Flop - Keylor Navas | Costa Rica
Keylor Navas conceded seven goals. While he cannot be blamed for all of them, he was at fault for at least two, if not more.
The Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper looked incredibly rusty, as he should be after settling into life as Gianluigi Donnarumma's understudy in the French capital.
#5 Hit - Pedri | Spain
Pedri ran the game from midfield and was integral to La Roja taking an unassailable lead going into the break.
He picked his passes well, ran rings around the Costa Rican midfield, and put the game beyond their reach before getting substituted at the hour mark. All in a day's work for the 19-year-old.
