Spain 3-0 Turkey
- Published
Two-time defending champions Spain progressed to the last 16 of the European Championship with a masterful display against a poor Turkey in Nice.
In the performance of the tournament, Spain became the first team to score more than twice in a Euro 2016 match.
Alvaro Morata headed Spain ahead while Nolito doubled the lead within minutes, side-footing home from close range.
The third goal was a sublime 22-pass move involving nine outfield players, ending with Morata finding the net.
In the past Spain have often found it difficult to break down opponents intent on defending deeply to contain their technical brilliance, but they had no such trouble against a Turkish team who found it impossible to suppress their opponents.
On a day where crowd trouble and flares had marred Croatia's draw with the Czech Republic, there was a series of loud bangs after the final whistle at the Stade de Nice, with fans lighting up flares.
Uefa have imposed a strict ban on all flares being taken into stadiums and Turkey are expected to be the latest country to face disciplinary action.
Three Spain fans were also arrested before the match trying to bring flares into the stadium.
Holders put on a performance to remember
Spain came into the match after winning their opening game of a European Championship or World Cup for the first time since Euro 2008, while Turkey had been heavily criticised for their poor display in their loss to Croatia, and the match unfolded as many had predicted.
The Spaniards, unbeaten in 62 years against their opponents and undefeated in their last 13 games at the European Championship finals, were dominant and, at times, unplayable.
They went close on a number of occasions, through Gerard Pique and Nolito, before going ahead when Juventus' Morata expertly headed Nolito's cross into the far corner.
Within three minutes the Spaniards had doubled their advantage. Nolito turned from provider to poacher as Turkey's Mehmet Topal headed Cesc Fabregas' chipped pass into the forward's path.
Spain's one-touch, fluid football was a joy to watch and the third goal, arriving quickly after the break, was as inevitable as it was pleasing on the eye.
In a dreamy sequence involving every outfield player except Pique, Iniesta - superb once again - produced the defence-splitting pass to Jordi Alba, who unselfishly passed to Morata for the striker to slot home from four yards. The only note to sour the delightful move was that replays showed Alba fractionally offside.
Vicente del Bosque's men eased off after the third, retaining possession with ease, while Turkey's impotence in attack ensured the Spaniards' defensive record - they have now conceded a goal in only one of their last 11 games in the tournament - remained unblemished.
Turkey's players booed once again
Fatih Terim's men received some "nasty" criticism, according to their star man Arda Turan, after their 1-0 opening defeat and their critics will not have been silenced after this trouncing.
Midway through the second half, Turkey's fans booed the Barcelona playmaker as he slowed down a counter-attack and the captain responded by gesturing towards his supporters, giving them the thumbs up.
Indeed, it has been a forgettable tournament for Turan - a 40m-euro purchase for Barca from Atletico Madrid - who was also booed by his own fans against Croatia.
Terim named an attacking line-up, choosing Burak Yilmaz, the top scorer in their squad with 20 international goals, but there was little Turkey could do without the ball and they wasted the opportunities they did have - Burak Yilmaz and Olcay Sahan shooting wide when they should have done better - leaving Turkey to end the match without a single shot on target.
Man of the Match - Andres Iniesta
What they said
Turkey manager Fatih Terim: "We conceded two goals by making individual mistakes - one of them was unbelievable.
"But I congratulate Spain. They're a very important team, a special team."
Spain boss Vincent Del Bosque: "From 2008 to now, we have lost some of the most important players in the history of Spanish football. We are on the right path but we haven't won anything yet. This is the group stage. If a team stays back in their own half and defends, that is better for us. We prefer to play in the opponent's half.
"We have a team that understands very well what they have to do. We are not worried about not scoring too early.
"We were effective in front of goal. I am not thinking about the next round - we will try to get the three points against Croatia and we will choose the team that can do that."
Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta: "We showed our winning mentality and great team spirit. It depends on ourselves how far we go here, the feelings we have are very positive at the moment.
"It is 10/10 for the players and 10/10 for the fans, who supported us incredibly."
The stats you need to know
Sergio Ramos' yellow card after 58 seconds was the fastest at the Euros since Aleksandrs Isakovs was booked for Latvia against Germany after 40 seconds at Euro 2004.
Morata and Nolito are the 34th and 35th different scorers for Spain at the European Championships, the most of any team in the competition's history (one more than Germany on 34).
Nolito became the sixth different player in Euros history to score and assist in the same game for Spain, following Pereda, Cesc Fabregas, Dani Guiza, David Silva and Fernando Torres.
Turkey haven't kept a clean sheet at the Euros since a 2-0 win over Belgium at Euro 2000 - they've conceded 15 goals in eight games since then.
Morata became the fifth player to score 2-plus goals in a Euros game for Spain, following Alfonso Perez, David Villa (hat-trick v Russia), Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso.
Spain are unbeaten in 14 games at the Euros (W11 D3), and haven't conceded a goal in 690 minutes of action.
What next?
Group D leaders Spain will next play Croatia and even a draw on Tuesday would ensure the holders end the group stages topping the table. Turkey, on the brink after two defeats, must beat the Czech Republic to retain any hope of progressing as one of the best third-placed teams.
- Published17 June 2016
- Published17 June 2016
- Published17 June 2016
- Published17 June 2016