Highlights Spain 7-0 Costa Rica, FIFA World Cup: ESP vs CRC, Gavi scores, Qatar 2022 updates

Spain vs Costa Rica, FIFA World Cup: Welcome to the ESP vs CRC Qatar 2022 match being played at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha.

Updated : Nov 24, 2022 02:38 IST

Carlos Soler of Spain celebrates with Alvaro Morata after scoring their team’s sixth goal during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group E match between Spain and Costa Rica at Al Thumama Stadium on November 23, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

REPORT: Spain demolishes Costa Rica 7-0 in its biggest ever WC win, at Qatar 2022

Full Time! Spain thrashes Costa Rica 8-0

Five goals in the second half after three goals in the first ends a great night for Spain as it opens the FIFA World Cup 2022 with a commanding win in Qatar. Costa Rica will to see the punishment end as the Spaniards march to the top of the table of Group E.

90+3’ Goal after goal after goal for the Spaniards in Qatar!

Morata and Olmo combine for a great one-two and Morata finishes off in style with the seventh goal of the night against Costa Rica in the FIFA World Cup.

90’ GOAL! Soler piles on Costa Rica’s misery

Nico Williams crosses from the right, but Navas saves it and Soler shoots in the follow-up to score the sixth goal in the FIFA World Cup 2022.

87’

Costa Rica fans look dejected after what has been a rather unimpressive performance from their side. Campbell, who helped it reach the World Cup with an early goal, has been silenced by the La Furia Roja. No shots from him or his side so far in the match.

81’

Offside! Morata gets the ball in the penalty box and shoots on target, but the linesman had his flag up.

75’ GOAL! Gavi makes it 5-0 with a stunning strike from outside the box

Nico Williams’ through ball for Morata is received by him, but he delays his shot and them crosses for Gavi, who shoots from outside the box to see the ball rattle the net off the bar.

Gavi of Spain scores the fifth goal during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group E match between Spain and Costa Rica at Al Thumama Stadium on November 23, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

73’

Dani Olmo carries the ball along the left flank after a pass from Morata and the pass in the follow-up for Nico Williams is intercepted and caught by Navas.

71’

Spain kept an average possession of 75 percent in its World Cup qualifying campaign. Against Costa Rica tonight, its possession has been 84 percent so far, with 11 shots and six of them on target.

64’

Double change for Spain! In: Koke, Balde, Out: Busquets, Alba

63’ Chance for Morata to score!

Morata gets the ball off Gavi from the right and he beats his marker to shoot from a narrow angle. However, the ball flies past the goal, off-target.

62’

Double change for Costa Rica! Costa Rica looks up to its oldest player and veteran Bryan Ruiz for hopes of a comeback in this one-way contest so far. In: Zamora, Ruiz, Out: Contreras, Bennette

59’

Spain tries to draw its opposition in its half for a counter attack, sees Unai Simon kick the ball away when Costa Rica forces a ball back into the Spain penalty box.

57’

Chance in personnel for Spain! Luis Enrique looks for options in his arsenal as he reshuffles his attack with the comfortably in Spain’s favour. Alvaro Morata and Carlos Soler replace Ferran Torres and Pedri.

54’ Torres gets his second of the day

Gavi crosses for Torres in the centre, who stops, turns and bets Navas to score his second goal of the night. Spain is flying at the moment. The score ESP 4-0 CRC

Spain’s Ferran Torres, right, scores his side’s fourth goal during the World Cup group E soccer match between Spain and Costa Rica, at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar. | Photo Credit: AP

51’

Back passes to slow build-up from the midfield to the final third, Spain’s modus operandi looks smooth as Torres finally gets the ball along the right flank and crosses in the centre for Olmo, but Costa Rica intercepts to concede a throw-in.

48’

Shot! Azpilicueta makes a run into the Costa Rica half, passes to Asensio on his left and the Real Madrid player shoots from outside the box. But the ball flies over the net.

46’

Costa Rica has replaces Carlos Martinez with Kendall Waston as the side looks to patch gaps in its defence. Waston has a reputation of being sent of 17 times in his career, something the team will be cautious of.

Second half begins!

Another 45 minutes for Costa Rica to try and pull off a comeback against Spain, which has, so far, looked the better side in this FIFA World Cup match.

Half-Time! Spain 3-0 Costa Rica

Three goals in the first 32 minutes of the match by Dani Olmo, Marco Asensio and Ferran Torres keeps the Spaniards ahead in the Group E fixture of the FIFA World Cup. Costa Rica, on the other hand, has not had a single shot on target.

45+5’

Pedri carries the ball in the final third and passes for Asensio, who shoots just off-target in the last minute of stoppage time.

45+4’

Spain tries to build an attack with small passes in the Costa Rica box as Pedri and Asensio get together for the passes. However, his pass for Alba is stopped for a foul.

44’

Spain tries an attack on the counter, but the in the Costa Rica box is intercepted by Keylor Navas this time as he kicks it out of danger.

39’

It is Costa Rica chasing shadows as the midfield veteran Sergio Busquets calls the shots, controlling the ball, pulling the game back to Spain in its half and then forcing spaces in the opposition defence.

35’

Spain continues to run up the pitch, with Olmo galloping along the left flank and just before he could crosss to his right, Martinez intercepts only to see the linesman already having the flag up for a Spain offside.

32’

About an hour more to go and it already looks like game over for Costa Rica. But football has seen comebacks from here, with Liverpool beating AC Milan in the Champions League final. Only time will tell if Keylor Navas and his side can pull off another such victory here.

31’ GOAL! Torres makes it 3-0 for Spain

Ferran Torres steps up for the free kick and buries it into the net, sending Keylor Navas on the other side. Jordi Alba was fouled in the box, with a kick at the back of his boot, which had given the Spaniards the penalty.

Spain’s Ferran Torres scores their third goal from the penalty spot against Costa Rica in a Group E game of the FIFA World Cup 2022. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

28’

Jordi Alba keeps the ball stuck to his feet, beats Martinez with a standing tackle and gets it to the midfield. The Barcelona midfielder is one of the five players from the Catalan side in the starting lineup tonight and has been a firm presence along the flaks so far.

26’

Luis Enrique’s side has dominated possession from kick-off and will be very happy with two early goals in the first half. As it stands, Spain sits on top of Group E, with Japan at second, based on goal difference.

21’ GOAL! Asensio doubles the lead for Spain; ESP 2-0 CRC

Busquets delivers a pass to Alba on the left, who crosses for Asensio and this time the winger finds the net to double the lead for Luis Enrique’s side.

Marco Asensio of Spain scores the team’s second goal during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group E match between Spain and Costa Rica at Al Thumama Stadium on November 23, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

19’

A mistake by Busquets sees Campbell steal the ball and try and find a gap in the Spanish box, but Spain tracks back in time, to deny his cross from causing any damage whatsoever.

18’

Jordi Alba scurries into the Costa Rica half with the ball stuck to his feet, plays a one two with Olmo, but Tejeda intercepts on the right time to stop the development, close to the penalty box.

15’

Foul! Gavi tries to make a forward run and is fouled by Calvo close to the penalty box. The free kick that follows, sees Pedri try and combine with Olmo, but CRC marks the men in red well enough to contain he danger at the moment.

11’ Olmo gives Spain the lead

Spain goes in attack with Olmo playing a one-two with Gavi. Gavi’s pass is received gorgeously by Olmo as he turns and shoots into the net. Spain is ahead.

That was the 100th goal for the La Furia Roja in the FIFA Wold Cup and what a way to start its Qatar 2022 campaign.

Spain’s Dani Olmo, third right, scores his side’s first goal during the World Cup group E match between Spain and Costa Rica, at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar. | Photo Credit: AP

9’ Chance! Asensio’s shot just off-target

Busquets gets the ball to Pedri in the midfield, who runs up the pitch and crosses for Asensio. The Real Madrid winger connects well, but the ball is just off target.

7’

Pedri takes back control of the ball in the midfield and passes it to Alba, and the ball finally is delivered for Olmo. However, Navas intercepts and comes to Costa Rica’s rescue

5’

Chance! Olmo gets a cross from the left from Torres, but his contact sees the ball whiff off target. First real gap in Costa Rica’s defence.

3’

Olmo makes a run along the right flank, but the white shirts soon get to the ball and Spain is forced to switch play. Thousands of seats still empty in the stadium, but more fans continue to come in.

1’

Spain starts with three conventional defenders and Sergio Busquets as a fluid midfielder and an additional centre-back while Rodri plays the role of a holding midfielder.

Kick Off!

Spain, in red, starts from the left to right, while Costa Rica, in white, starts from the other end. We are underway in the second Group E match after an upset earlier, where Japan beat Germany 2-1.

Minutes to kick off!

The players walk out of the tunnel.. The stadium is buzzing with fans from the Americas the Spain. It is time for Spain vs Costa Rica at the Al Thumama Stadium.

Flags of both the countries are spread on two sides of the field as the players line-up for the National Anthems, first Spain and then Costa Rica.

9:00 pm: Form Guide

Spain comes into the match with four wins and a loss in its last five matches, which came against Switzerland. Costa Rica, on the other hand, has three wins in its last five mixtures and comes into the match after a 2-0 win over Nigeria.

Its latest clash against Iraq was cancelled due to passport issues.

Head-to-head:

Since 2010, Spain and Costa Rica have met three times and not once has the 2010 World Champion lost the clash, winning two and drawing one.

Starting lineups:

Spain: Simon – Azpilicueta, Laporte, Alba – Pedri, Rodrigo, Busquets, Gavi – Olmo, Asensio, Torres

Costa Rica: Navas –Calvo, Duarte, Martinez – Oviedo, Bennette, Tejeda, Borges, Fuller - Contreras, Campbell

MATCH PREVIEW

Spain will look to forget its 2014 and 2018 World Cup campaigns when it turns over a new leaf in the 2022 edition against Costa Rica in its opening fixture on Wednesday, in Qatar.

Luis Enrique has to go with a younger side, choosing to fly to Qatar without veterans like Sergio Ramos and Thiago Alcantara.

Instead, he will expect the brigade of Pedri, Gavi Paez and Ansu Fati will lead the country’s quest for a second World Cup.

La Furia Roja comes into the World Cup after a 3-1 win over Jordan in its final warm-up match, one that saw Fati and Gavi find their names on the scoresheet.

On the other hand, Costa Rica comes into the tournament with the reputation of a surprise giant killer.

In the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Costa Rica stunned Italy – a four-time World Cup winner – and Uruguay – a two-time World Cup winner – to finish as quarterfinalists.

The FIFA World Cup 2022 has already seen a massive upset with Argentina losing to Saudi Arabia in its opening fixture.

With Spain coming into the match as the stronger side on paper, it will need to be cautious not to be complacent on a stage that is always subject to surprises.

Form Guide: