World Cup 2022: Spain convinces and beats Costa Rica 7

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Dani Olmo (right) scored one goal, Ferran Torres scored twice

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IMAGO/Bagu blanco / PRESSINPHOTO / IMAGO/Pressinphoto

After a convincing performance, Spain won 7-0 (3-0) against Costa Rica.

The 2010 World Champion stood securely at the back and combined very creatively in attacking play.

With the opening win, the Spaniards took the lead in Group E ahead of Japan, who had defeated Germany 2-1 in the early afternoon.

The goals were scored by Dani Olmo (11th minute), Marco Asensio (21st), Ferran Torres, who first scored a penalty kick (31st) and then added a goal from the game (54th), Gavi (74th), Carlos Soler (90') and Álvaro Morata (90'+3').

Spain meets the DFB-Elf on Sunday (5 p.m.), who then have their backs to the wall.

Costa Rica already plays against Japan at 11 am.

The Spaniards presented themselves as very enthusiastic from the start.

Without a classic center forward, Marco Asensio, Torres and Olmo took turns again and again, Costa Rica was mostly at a disadvantage with the numerous castling.

Leipzig's Olmo also had the first chance of the game after five minutes, but he volleyed wide of the goal to the left.

Asensio also aimed a little too imprecisely (8th), before Olmo then scored the lead.

Gavi lifted the ball into the penalty area, Olmo took the ball, turned on his own axis and then lobped over keeper Keylor Navas (11th).

The ball continued to gyrate through the Spanish team before Asensio made it 2-0 after a low cross from left-back Jordi Alba (21').

A short time later things went too fast for Costa Rica again.

Óscar Duarte fouled Alba in the penalty area and Torres converted the penalty kick on the bottom left (31').

As a result, Spain pushed forward at a slower pace, but still had everything under control.

Above all, the three-man midfield with Gavi, Sergio Busquets and Pedri proved to be safe on the ball.

In the end, the Spaniards take it easy

Nothing changed in the game in the second half either.

Spain dominated and occasionally played fast forwards.

Like in the 54th minute, when Torres initially got stuck after a pass from Gavi, but then got the ball again and pushed in against a defender who was too hesitant to make it 4-0.

Spain coach Luis Enrique then happily made substitutions, giving the likes of Torres and Busquets a slightly longer break ahead of the game against Germany.

The game rippled along before Gavi volleyed the ball after a cross from substitute Morata and made it 5-0 with his right outside instep (74').

Just before the end of the game, Soler (90') and Morata (90' + 3') scored the sixth and seventh goal for the Spaniards.

kyo