Spain dominated from start to finish beating a hapless Costa Rica 7-0 in their opening Group E game – their biggest win in World Cup history.
PLAYER RATINGS:
Unai Simón: 5 – Not tested once.
César Azpilicueta: 7 – Assured defensively and kept Spain’s movement ticking on the right.
Rodri: 7 – Started in an unfamiliar centre-back role and helped Spain manipulate the ball from deep, completing 99% of his passes.
Aymeric Laporte: 6 – Didn’t face many difficulties and was a reliable foil to Rodri.
Jordi Alba: 8 – Supreme down the left, finding space between the lines. Assisted Asensio’s goal and won the penalty.
Sergio Busquets: 7 – Reliable as ever on the ball, the brain at the start of every Spain manouevre.
Gavi: 8 – Combined brilliantly with his midfield partners. Became the third youngest-ever World Cup goalscorer with a crisp finish with the outside of his right boot.
Pedri: 8 – Majestic. Be it driving play forward or picking out the perfect pass, Pedri was magnificent in his 57 minutes on the pitch.
Ferran Torres: 8 – Scored the penalty, and showed great perseverance to fight for the fourth goal, shielding Navas and slotting home with composure.
Marco Asensio: 7 – Shone as the false 9. Scored the second of the game, and helped in Spain’s dominance by creating overloads on the left with Alba and Olmo.
Dani Olmo: 7 – Played an exquisite one-two with Gavi before taking a lovely touch and turn and chipping it in for Spain’s opening goal.
SUBSTITUTES:
Álvaro Morata: 7 – Got in behind for a couple of chances. Assisted Gavi’s goal with a cross from the left, before driving home Spain’s seventh with his left.
Carlos Soler: 6 – Tapped home Spain’s sixth.
Alejandro Balde: 6 – Orchestrated the fifth goal on his Spain debut with a marauding run through the Costa Rica midfield.
Nico Williams: 6 – Provided a burst of energy, forcing the sixth goal.
Koke: 5
GSFN
