Reuters
Madrid, Sept 6: Spain started their World Cup qualifying campaign with a crushing 8-0 win over Liechtenstein, laying down a marker in Group G with a ruthless second half display, here Monday.
Diego Costa scored his first goal for Spain in almost two years to put Julen Lopetegui’s side ahead in the 10th minute in their first competitive game under their new coach and Sergi Roberto doubled the lead in the 55th.
Costa got his second while David Silva and substitute Alvaro Morata also got braces and Vitolo opened his international account as the former World Champions ran riot.
“Sometimes an opponent’s name can fool you but we played a great game,” said Lopetegui. “We reaped in the second half what we had sowed in the first.”
Costa was the focus of the pre-match build-up having netted only once in the first of his previous 11 appearances since switching nationalities from Brazil in 2014 and needed only 10 minutes to open the scoring, rising high to head in Koke’s free-kick.
The entrance of substitute Nolito for Thiago Alcantara at the start of the second half livened up the home side and it was the Manchester City forward who laid the ball on for Roberto to grab his first international goal.
The floodgates had opened for Spain. Silva was soon in on the act, adding to his double in the friendly against Belgium last week by turning in Vitolo’s cross from close range. Barely a minute later, Silva repaid the favour by teeing up the Sevilla forward to mark another impressive display for his country with a goal.
Spain only grew hungrier and Costa wanted another bite. He effortlessly turned two defenders in the area before firing at goalkeeper Peter Jehle’s right foot, calmly nodding in the rebound for the fifth goal.
“Players control their destiny and we just try to help them, but Diego (Costa) is a great player and he proved it today (Monday),” informed Lopetegui.
Costa came off to a standing ovation but his replacement Morata threatened to upstage him with two strikes in under a minute, slamming in at the near post before striking the ball past the hapless Jehle from the edge of the area.
After the game, Costa said he always knew he would score again regularly for Spain.
“I had struggled because a striker always needs to score goals but now I’m participating more in the play and I knew the goals were going to come,” Costa told reporters.
The controversial striker has endured a difficult relationship with Spain fans since switching loyalties from his native Brazil in 2014. But then after his fine show, he stated that he deserved criticism. “(It) criticism is normal because Spain players are always asked to give more, but now things are going my way,” he asserted.