Highlights & report: Does thrashing Costa Rica make Spain contenders?

Whatever England tin do, Spain tin bash better… but does thrashing hapless absorption successful your opening crippled truly crook anyone into instant World Cup contenders?

That should travel successful their adjacent match, connected Sunday against a Germany broadside who volition beryllium warring for their aboriginal successful this tourney after their daze decision by Japan.

There was inactive overmuch to savour for Spain and their supporters astatine Al Thumama Stadium, of course, particularly Gavi's delicious volley to marque it 5-0, but it was evident from the commencement that this was a elephantine mis-match and the scoreline reflected the immense gulf betwixt the 2 sides.

Costa Rica were the past squad to suffice for Qatar, acknowledgment to a play-off triumph implicit New Zealand successful June, but barring a immense betterment they look apt to beryllium 1 of the archetypal teams to beryllium eliminated.

Spain ripped done them acold excessively easily, sometimes consecutive down the mediate of the pitch, and the crippled was finished arsenic a contention aft hardly fractional an hr erstwhile Ferran Torres converted a punishment to marque it 3-0.

They kept coming guardant successful waves successful the 2nd fractional and much goals followed adjacent aft Enrique made a raft of changes - similar England immoderate of their substitutes got progressive successful the scoring.

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Costa Rica out-passed and outclassed

Defeat to Spain was Costa Rica’s biggest nonaccomplishment successful the World Cup, conceding arsenic galore goals arsenic they did successful their erstwhile 8 games successful the competition.

Costa Rica were not conscionable out-passed - they managed 241 to 1,043 - they were besides outclassed, and failed to muster a azygous changeable astatine goal. The closest they got to that was 4 touches successful the Spain area, 2 successful each half.

Former England defender Gary Neville saw those atrocious statistic arsenic much of a motion of however atrocious the 2014 quarter-finalists were, alternatively than however bully Spain were.

"Well done to Spain they've done their job," Neville said connected ITV. "I didn't deliberation Costa Rica could get immoderate worse successful the 2nd fractional but they surpassed their first-half performance. They were hesitant. They were a mess.

"I can't conscionable measurement Spain astatine each connected that. Costa Rica are the archetypal squad successful 32 years to not person a changeable astatine goal, that can't happen.

"They've had aggregate World Cups. There was thing retired determination today. I person nary thought what's conscionable happened.

"Spain support the ball, we cognize that, but that is arsenic atrocious arsenic it gets for a squad that has got a batch of experience."

Former England goalkeeper Rob Green added connected BBC Radio 5 live: "Spain person been superb but I'm tempted to accidental this crippled won't archer america a batch astir them successful this tournament. The spot of the opposition, Costa Rica truly haven't made it difficult.

"They made it a locomotion successful the parkland for Spain. Realistically, the substitutions Spain made successful the 2nd half, they were blooding youngsters, resting aged legs; Costa Rica knew the crippled was up."

'The cleanable performance' by Spain

You could argue, of course, that not allowing your absorption a show of extremity portion scoring 7 yourself is not to beryllium sniffed at, and Spanish shot adept Guillem Balague preferred to absorption connected the positives for Spain.

Balague told 5 live: "It was conscionable the cleanable performance, you could spot aft 3 goals Costa Rica had fixed up.

"But however galore shots connected people for Costa Rica? Or attempts? Zero. In the World Cup, you don't get these benignant of performances, the aforesaid mode you don't get the benignant of performances England gave against Iran.

"We're talking astir the aforesaid benignant of level. They are, astatine the infinitesimal it seems, up of the rest."

Should Spain conscionable bask a uncommon bully start?

Maybe we are amended disconnected not reasoning astir what the size of this Spain triumph means and alternatively absorption connected the information they have, for once, got their World Cup disconnected to a winning start.

They had mislaid their opening lucifer astatine their erstwhile 3 tournaments, including successful South Africa 2010 wherever they went connected to triumph it - and it was intelligibly unwise to leap to immoderate aboriginal conclusions astir their prospects backmost then.

It is Germany and Argentina who person been upset this clip and, successful a tourney that has been afloat of daze results successful its archetypal fewer days, Spain's young stars similar Gavi and Pedri alternatively sent retired a connection of intent that they could beryllium the ones causing immoderate surprises successful the coming weeks.

Green: "It's what Spain needed. Coming into this tourney they had a fewer questions, young players coming in, tin they find and travel up with answers? Well, it's been a cleanable grooming league for them due to the fact that that's beauteous overmuch what it has been.

"It's not been a contest, it's been a lukewarm up. There volition beryllium bigger games to travel but if you're getting much than 1,000 passes successful a game, past that's an unthinkable achievement."

What was the Spanish verdict?

Spain’s triumph implicit Costa Rica is their biggest successful the World Cup, and the biggest successful the contention since Portugal bushed North Korea by the aforesaid scoreline successful 2010

Understandably, Spain's players seemed beauteous pleased with their performance, arsenic good arsenic the outcome.

Dani Olmo, who opened the scoring with what was Spain's 100th World Cup goal, said: "I don't deliberation it was a question of Costa Rica being bad. It was astir our squad being strong.

"I deliberation the triumph was what we were due. We deserved to triumph aft taking the crippled to them. I deliberation our squad is beardown and that is the way that we request to follow. It was a assurance boost for sure."

But managers are seldom satisfied truthful easy and, conscionable arsenic England brag Gareth Southgate hailed his side's attacking show against Iran but was unhappy astatine seeing them concede a mates of precocious goals, Spain brag Enrique called his squad "exceptional" - earlier adding they tin bash amended adjacent time.

"Our nonsubjective is to continuously predominate the play, and for that you person to person the ball," Enrique told TVE.

"Your hostile gets bushed and can't get into it, our pressing was exceptional and the 16 players we utilized were superb - though we inactive person country to improve."

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