PEP BALL’S ON SHOW AS SPAIN GO TO SEVEN
PEP GUARDIOLA will probably never manage Spain – but his fingerprints are once again all over their blazing red shirts.
Twelve years after his brilliant Barcelona team was the cornerstone of his country’s onlyWorld Cup success, La Roja appear to be fermenting nicely.
Only two of Guardiola’s Manchester City stars – Aymeric Laporte and Rodri – were in Luis Enrique’s side for the blitz of Costa Rica, with their former Eithad team-mate Ferran Torres on the wing.
But his Catalan philosophy was so obviously on show that Spain might want to think about changing their away shirts to Sky Blue.
The ruthless hunger to score for a start.Torres netted twice and Dani Olmo, Marco Asensio, Gavi, Soler and Alvaro Morata were also on target as keeper Keylor Navas endured probably the worst night of his career.
Spain boss Enrique said: “We were superb in every aspect. The goals were good, of course, but Costa Rica didn’t have one chance and I like the fact we dominated from the first whistle.”
Spain can potentially send Germany home after two games by beating them on Sunday following their shock 2-1 defeat by Japan.
Rodri can be found bossing midfield at the Etihad. Here he was employed as Laporte’s partner in central defence.
Chelsea right-back Cesar Azpilicueta tucked himself inside to allow Jordi Alba free rein down the left.
And while Guardiola has no shortage of midfield brilliance in Manchester, he would have loved the way Barca youngsters Gavi and Pedri looked like a teenage version of Andres Iniesta and Xavi, with the Nou Camp’s ageing enforcer Sergio Busquets there as a childminder.
It was all over after half an hour. Olmo eased a smart finish over Navas after 11 minutes and 10 minutes later the keeper could not get a strong enough hand on Asensio’s shot.
Torres then scored from the spot and struck again nine minutes after the break with an angled shot.
Gavi got the goal he deserved 15 minutes from time with a wonderfully controlled volley.
Substitute Soler continued it in the 90th minute, firing home after Navas parried Nico Williams’ cross.
Morata came on to finish the job in injury-time.
SPAIN (4-3-3): Simon 7; Azpilicueta 7, Rodri 7, A Laporte 7, J Alba 8 (Balde 64, 6); Gavi 8, Busquets 7 (Koke 64, 6), Pedri 8 (Soler 57, 7); F Torres 7 (Morata 57, 7), Asensio (Williams 69, 6), Olmo 7. Goals: Olmo 11, Asensio 21, F Torres 31 pen, 54, Gavi 74, Soler 90, Morata 90. COSTA RICA (5-4-1): Navas 4; Martinez 4 (Waston 46, 5), Fuller 5, Duarte 5, Calvo 5, Oviedo 5 (Matarrita 82); Campbell 5, Borges (Aguilera 72), Tejeda 5, Bennette 5 (Ruiz 61, 5); Contreras 5 (Zamora 61, 5).
We were superb in every aspect of the game