Newly-appointed Spain coach Julien Liechtensteinegui enjoyed a perfect competitive debut as Diego Costa, David Silva and Alvaro Morata all hit doubles in an 8-0 drubbing of Liechtenstein in Leon on Monday.
Diego Costa on target for Spain as they thumped Liechenstein
Costa scored his first Spain goal since 2014 after just 10 minutes, but despite complete domination of the game the hosts had to settle for just a one-goal lead at half-time.
The floodgates opened with three goals in five minutes after the break as Sergi Roberto and Vitolo tapped home their first international goals either side of David Silva’s third goal of Lopetegui’s two-match reign.
Costa headed his second into the top corner before being replaced by Alvaro Morata, who hit a quickfire double of his own in the last 10 minutes.
David Silva
Silva added an eighth in stoppage time to become Spain’s fifth highest goalscorer of all-time behind Hierro, Raul, Fernando Torres and David Villa with his 28th international strike.
A comprehensive win puts Spain top of Group G in qualifying for the 2018 World Cup ahead of Euro 2016 conquerors Italy on goal difference after the Azzurri won 3-1 in Israel.
Lopetegui made just two changes to the side that won impressively 2-0 in a friendly away to Belgium on Thursday with Costa and Sergi Roberto replacing Real Madrid pair Morata and Dani Carvajal.
Costa ended his long wait for just a second international goal when he met Koke’s excellent in-swinging free-kick to give Spain the perfect start.
However, Liechtenstein , ranked 182 in the world, resisted bravely for the rest of the first period with Koke’s low effort cleared off the line by Michele Polverino the closest Spain came to a second.
Chances started to flow at the start of the second period as Silva was denied by great goalkeeping from Peter Jehle before Koke’s free-kick came back off the bar.
Sergi Roberto finally netted the second on his competitive international debut when he slotted the ball between Jehle’s legs from Nolito’s excellent pass.
Vitolo’s low cross was then blasted home from point-blank range by Silva.
The Manchester City playmaker resorted to his normal role a minute later with an enticing pass for Vitolo to roll home the fourth.
Costa doubled his tally for the evening at the second attempt after his first effort was repelled by Jehle.
However, the Lichtenstein captain was at fault for both Morata’s goals as he merely parried powerful strikes into his own net.
Silva had a goal wrongly ruled out for offside, but still had time to leapfrog Fernando Morientes as the fifth most prolific Spaniard of all-time with a finely struck low effort from the edge of the box.
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