DOHA, Qatar — With the worldwide heavyweights on word after Saudi Arabia and Japan pulled off beautiful upsets over Argentina and Germany, Spain wasted no time placing Costa Rica to bed early in a 7-0 win. It becomes a historically dominant global Cup victory and one that units Spain up as one of the favorites for the rest of the event.
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Speedy reaction
What scoring troubles?
Getting into the arena Cup, there were legitimate questions about Spain’s assault. Combining international Cup qualifying and the UEFA Nations League, Spain ranked No. 17 inside the location in dreams (23 in 14 video games) and did not rate extra than dreams in its ultimate eleven competitive fits. Going against a Costa Rica aspect that generally employs a five-guy backline in front of former Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas, a low-scoring sport appeared feasible, if now not probable.
That line of wondering disappeared speedily. Costa Rica began by using protecting in a four-4-2 block, which the Spanish assault sliced thru readily, nearly straight away. Dani Olmo’s beginning purpose inside the 11th minute got here on a nicely-worked sequence that saw him combine with Gavi because the Barcelona midfielder’s deflected chip positioned him in the front of the aim wherein he flippantly grew to become and finished.
When Marco Ascensio scored off a Jordi Alba assist ten mins later, the result became already solidified and Ferran Torres’ penalty gave Spain extra desires via 31 minutes than 18 groups within the event had scored in full time to that factor. The attacking display never bogged down.
A historically dominant effort
Spain’s seven desires are the most it has ever scored in an international Cup healthy, breaking the previous document that got here in a 6-1 win in opposition to Bulgaria in 1998. In the technique, Spain almost equaled its general from the complete 2010 international Cup whilst scoring 8 whilst triumphing the whole event.
It become the lopsided win in the international Cup the reason that Portugal beat North Korea 7-zero in 2010 and the primary time any team has scored seven in a fit considering the fact that Germany put seven beyond Brazil in the 2014 semifinal. (The record margin of victory at the World Cup is nine, which has come about three times with the ultimate coming in 1982).
Spain is the primary crew to hold an opponent shotless within the world Cup since 1990 while Brazil also did it to Costa Rica. And Spain’s 81.Three% possession became the maximum dominant ratio in view that as a minimum 1966. All advised, it turned into one of the most dominant performances ever within the world Cup.
Thanks for coming, Costa Rica
It turned into usually going to take an unbelievable overall performance for Costa Rica to escape a group providing two recent global Cup champions (Spain and Germany) and Japan. After this result, the idea of that ever being possible appears absurd. The aim now should be to keep away from a repeat of what passed off in 2006, whilst the group misplaced all 3 suits and finished thirty-first in the tournament.
For educate Luis Fernando Sanchez, the choice to play with a four-man backline turned into bizarre. Specifically knowing that Spain was going to play with a heavy majority of the possession and has, at instances, struggled against bunkered defenses. It wouldn’t have made a distinction inside the final result had Los Ticos begun with 5 inside the again, however, Fernandez essentially admitted he made a tactical mistake while he moved to a five-four-1 after falling at the back of early.
Costa Rica’s previous worst margin of defeat at a global Cup was 3 dreams: 1990 in opposition to Czechoslovakia (4-1), 2002 against Brazil (five-2), and 2006 in opposition to Ecuador (three-zero).
