Euro 2020 Q: Spain make it rain goals in Cadiz

Pau Torres and Olmo score on their debuts

Euro 2020 Q: Spain make it rain goals in Cadiz
Euro 2020 Q: Spain make it rain goals in Cadiz

Spain continued their unbeaten run in Group F of Euro 2020 qualification with an easy 7-0 victory over Malta on Friday night at the Ramon de Carranza in Cadiz.

Alvaro Morata, Santi Cazorla, Pablo Sarabia, Gerard Moreno and Jesus Navas were joined on the scoresheet by Pau Torres and Dani Olmo, who each scored on their debuts with La Roja.

With their spot in next summer's tournament already cemented, Spain could play to their liking and it resulted in a domination of the visitors, who barely crossed the halfway line.

Spain head coach Robert Moreno handed out a debut to goalkeeper Pau Lopez, while Raul Albiol once again started at centre-back alongside Sergio Ramos, plus Gerard Moreno, Sarabia and Morata made up the attack.

After a handful of chances, Spain would break the deadlock midway through the first half when Malta failed to clear a corner kick and Juan Bernat's header found the surging Morata, who pushed in a shot from a metre out for a 1-0 Spain lead.

Spain continued to control possession, but the second goal would come on a rare break as Morata found Cazorla, and the veteran Villarreal man finished with aplomb to double the margin 2-0 toward the end of the half.

Moreno's first change came early in the second half, with Cazorla yielding his spot to Paco Alcacer, but it was Sarabia who was destined to notch the third, only for Malta defender Jonathan Caruana to make an incredible goal-line clearance. That was followed a minute later by Gerard Moreno somehow missing wide after an effort from the Maltese defence.

 

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Sergio Ramos was the next to come off and was given a warm ovation by his fellow Andalusians before making way for Pau Torres.

Pau Torres took just seconds to make a good impression and he stretched the Spain lead to 3-0 by easily chesting in a flicked-on header from Alcacer off a corner kick.

In the blink of an eye, it was then 4-0 after Gerard Moreno found Sarabia, and this time the Paris Saint-Germain man left no doubt with his finish.

It was quite the day for players making their debut, and minutes after replacing Morata, Olmo replicated Pau Torres' feat by scoring when he collected a pass from Thiago Alcantara and slotted home a right-footer to make it 5-0.

Gerard Moreno got his goal soon enough, with a fine cross from Bernat making for an easy push into net to extend the lead to 6-0.

The night was then capped by a powerful strike from Jesus Navas, who sent a right-footed rocket into the top left corner to complete the 7-0 scoreline.

Match Sheet:

7.- Spain: Pau Lopez; Jesus Navas, Albiol, Ramos (Pau Torres, min. 61), Bernat; Rodri, Thiago, Cazorla (Alcacer, min. 53); Sarabia, Gerard Moreno, Morata (Olmo, min. 66).

0.- Malta: Bonello; Corbolan (Micallef, min. 33), Caruana, Agius, Z. Muscat (Caruana, min. 64), Pisani (Grech, min. 75); R. Muscat, Vella, Mbong, Paiber; Nwoko.

Goals: 1-0, min. 23: Morata; 2-0, min. 41: Cazorla; 3-0, min. 61: Pau Torres; 4-0, min. 62: Sarabia; 5-0, min. 68: Dani Olmo; 6-0, min. 72: Gerard Moreno; 7-0, min. 85: Navas.

Referee: Viktor Kassai (Hungary).

Yellow cards: None.

Red cards: None.

Stadium: Ramon de Carranza.

Attendance: 25,000.