REPORT: Spain obliterate Malta on their way to EURO 2020

Spain took on minnows Malta in a decisive Group F UEFA EURO 2020 tie at Estadio Ramón de Carranza on Friday needing just a point to clinch top spot. Spain had already sealed their place at next year’s tournament, although in unconvincing fashion by drawing 1-1 with both Norway and Sweden. La Furia Roja are set to be one of the favourites at next summer’s competition but remain a work in progress.

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With this permutation leading the way, Spain pulled out all the stops – blaring red sirens en route to a 7-0 routing of a lackadaisical Malta – on their way to recording their biggest victory of the qualifying campaign, so far. As expected, the Spaniards dominated possession for the majority of the game and played their destructive best football to signal a warning to all and sundry to come.

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All that was left for Spain to do in the EURO 2020 qualifiers campaign on Friday was to top their Group, and this, they did in sensational style (Image: AFP).

First half

It was a subdued first 45 in terms of goal-mouth action, with Spain slotting only two of their eventual seven goals in the first half. Alvero Morata began the assault with his strike which came midway through this first period.

This made it the seventh consecutive game for club and country where the forward has made the scoresheet. Santi Carzola doubled Spain’s lead shortly before half-time with his first goal in over four years for his country.

It was a special moment for the 34-year-old who has staged a remarkable recovery from a career-threatening foot injury. The score was 2-0 at the break with Spain in control and, at that point, assured to win the group with nothing more than not to allow Malta back in.

Second half

Robert Moreno’s side turned on the style in the second stanza with defender Pau Torres marking his debut with a goal in the 62nd minute and Pablo Sarabia also netting for the first time for Spain less than a minute later to make it four.

Dinamo Zagreb striker Dani Olmo then came off the bench to make his Spain debut and moments later, marked the occasion by scoring his side’s fifth goal, while Gerard Moreno soon followed with a strike of his own to make it six to none for Spain.

The routing was completed when Jesus Navas produced the most impressive strike of the evening, finding the top corner from outside the area, while substitute Paco Alcacer was not far away from hitting goal number eight when he rattled the post.

Spain: 23. Pau Lopez, 22. Jesus Navas, 3. Raul Albiol, 15. Sergio Ramos, 14. Juan Bernat, 10. Thiago, 16. Rodri Hernandez Cascante, 20. Santi Cazorla, 19. Gerard Moreno, 7. Alvaro Morata, 11. Pablo Sarabia, 6. Pau Torres, 9. Paco Alcacer, 12. Dani Olmo.

Subs: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Mikel Oyarzabal, David De Gea, Fabian Ruiz, Dani Carvajal, Sergio Busquets.

Malta: 1. Henry Bonello, 15. Juan Corbalan, 2. Jonathan Caruana, 5. Andrei Agius, 22. Zach Muscat, 20. Jurgen Pisani, 14. Brandon Paiber, 13. Dunstan Vella, 11. Rowen Muscat, 7. Joseph Mbong, 10. Kyrian Nwoko, 4. Karl Micallef, 6. Jake Grech, 23. Tristan Caruana.

Subs: Nikolai Muscat, Alfred Effiong, Luke Gambin, Joseph Zerafa, Paul Fenech, Rashed Al-Tumi.