In the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2022, Spain defeats Costa Rica.
Spain blew Costa Rica out of the water as they thumped them 7-0 to start their FIFA World Cup 2022 campaign in an emphatic fashion.
Spain got the first chance of the match in the 4th minute when Pedri threaded in a beautiful ball over the top of the Costa Rica backline only for Dani Olmo to shoot it wide.
Spain got close again in the 8th minute when Busquets laid off the ball to Pedri for him to play in Asensio whose first-time shot was just wide of the post.
In the 11th minute, however, Spain finally got their lead when Olmo played a swift one-two with Gavi, receiving the ball in mid-air before turning and planting a cute finish past Keylor Navas.
Spain doubled their lead when Busquets put a long pass for Jordi Alba on the left flank, who played a square pass for Asensio to tuck the ball in the net with a first-time left-footed strike.
Ferran Torres got in on the act after he converted a penalty in the 30th minute after Alba was tripped inside the box by Duarte.
Torres got his 2nd of the night in the 53rd minute after he released Gavi on the left flank and continued his run to receive Gavi’s reverse pass inside the box.
He tangled with a couple of Costa Rican defenders before the ball tumbled on his feet somehow, for him to plant a left-footed finish past Navas.
Spain got their 5th in the 74th minute as the Costa Rican horror show continued.
Balde made a mazy run through the heart of the Costa Rican midfield before playing in Alvaro Morata.
Morata tried to round the keeper but took a heavy touch forcing the ball to run a bit further on the left than he would have liked.
However, he then turned to see an incoming Gavi into the box, and played a floating pass into his path, for him to finish it off with the outside of his right boot.
In the 89th minute, Gavi sprayed the ball to Nico Williams on the right flank.
Williams took on his man before playing a pass trying to find Morata on the far post.
Navas got a touch on it but only to spill it in the path of Soler who scored Spain’s 6th of the night.
Costa Rica’s misery was to be further compounded when in the 1st minute of the extra time as Gavi was played in behind by Williams towards the touchline.
Gavi squared the ball off to Williams again inside the box, who passed it to Morata.
The Spanish no.7 took a turn and played a one-two with Olmo on the edge of the box before applying a silky left-footed finish past the distraught Keylor Navas to make it 7 goals for Spain.
The scoreline reflected the sheer magnitude of Spain’s dominance throughout the game. Luis Enrique’s side maintained their possession-focused game style, outnumbering the opponents in midfield and holding on to the ball for almost 80% of the game, allowing Costa Rica no shots on target.
They played more than 1000 passes across the span of 90 minutes with every player constantly moving around to maintain their dynamic structure.
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However, it was the midfield trio of veteran Busquets and youngsters Gavi and Pedri who were the engines pushing Spain forward.
Busquets had 102 touches on the ball with Gavi and Pedri both having more than 90 too.
Busquets maintained the pace of the game, constantly moving the ball around, switching the play while Gavi was the box-to-box midfielder, pressing high, winning the ball in key areas and making in-behind runs while also carrying the ball forward, and playing one-twos around the box.
Pedri was in the classic playmaker role finding those little passes between the opponent’s defensive line.
Spain would hope that their young guns keep firing on all cylinders as they prepare to go head to head against a much more worthy opponent in 2014 champions Germany in their next group game.
