Cyprus continues to accumulate terrifying numbers on its visits to the Peninsula. Always, even in eternity, she will be able to boast of that 3-2 in 1998 that sentenced Javier Clemente but when it is her turn to visit Spain she always comes out beaten. Also this Tuesday in Granada, where the set of De la Fuente's men increases the Cypriot baggage to a scandalous 32-0 in their five games in the red territory. The win is once again balmy, like that of Georgia, and allows Spain to get a little closer to the Euro Cup.
The duel had a festive tone almost from the beginning. It was the first opportunity that Spain had to play in front of its fans since it brilliantly won the Nations League last June and it took the opportunity to offer the trophy to the enthusiastic Granada public. The first cup to enter Las Rozas in eleven years deserved something like this.
On the green the surprise came with the lineup of Luis de la Fuente. Far from making rotations against a clearly inferior rival, the numbers speak for themselves, the coach gave continuity to the eleven that thrashed in Tibilisi. The only technical change, beyond the two forced by injury that gave Lamine Yamal the title, was that of Mikel Merino for Fabián Ruiz.
The coach did not want any surprises, for whom this break has been great for him to settle into his position and return his team to the right path that leads to the next Euro Cup. And that involved beating Cyprus, a result that was taken for granted but had to be made effective.
Spanish superiority was evident and indisputable from the opening whistle and the monologue lasted until the last breath of the match. The first seasonings were added by the beardless Yamal, whose naturalness when facing a situation as unusual as his allows him to hide his 16 years and appear almost a veteran. Two Barcelona crosses became the first scares for Mali.
Cyprus came out without concealment, resigned, trying to avoid a historic disaster. And Spain knew how to play with patience and did not rush at any time. Unlike what happens with other rocky rivals, Cyprus' inferiority was so evident that the arrival of the goals was only a matter of time.
The red team was timid in the first half and unleashed itself in the second. Nico Williams was the protagonist at the beginning and, together with Yamal, was the generator of chances. The first one was born from his boots, which Gavi signed with his left foot. And also the second, which Mikel Merino finished off with a header. The only negative note of the night also came from Athletic, leaving with discomfort before the break.
With the work done, the victory assured because Unai Simón had not even touched a ball, the second half threatened to be defined as tedium but in a dizzying last twenty minutes Spain signed another great win. The entry of Ferran Torres, summoned due to the injuries of Olmo and Asensio, shook up the match and confirmed that he is still in a state of grace at this start of the season. The Blaugrana, who had been international since the World Cup in Qatar, added another two goals to his notable resume with the national team. He was joined by Joselu and Álex Baena, who, emulating Yamal, made his debut for Spain and took the opportunity to leave his mark with a goal.
Having overcome the first crisis in this qualifying phase with brilliance, the true stone of fire will come to the red team next month with Scotland's visit to La Cartuja. It will be a match with pending accounts.
6 Spain: Unai Simon; Carvajal, The Norman, Report, Gaia (Bucket, m.61); Rodrigo, Gavi (Alex Baena, m.76), Mikel Merino; Nico Williams (Yeremy Pino, 45), Yamine Lamal (Ferran Torres, 61) and Morata (Joselu, 46).
0 Cyprus: Mall, Andreou (Panaytou, m.95), Karo, Gogic, Laifis, Correia, Kousoulos (Tzionis, m.55), Chambos (Ioannou, m.46), Charalampous (Pittas, m.62) Soteriou ( Pileas, m.62) y Kastanos.EFE.
Goals: 1-0, (m.18) Gavi. 2-0, (m.33) Mikel Merino. 3-0, (m.70) Joselu. 4-0, (m.73) Ferrán Torres. 5-0, (m.78) Álex Baena. 6-0, (M.84) Ferrán Torres.
Referee: Simone Sozza (Italy). He showed yellow cards to the local Yeremy Pino (m.69) and the visitor Sotirou (45 '2').
Incidents: Match corresponding to Group A of the qualification phase for Euro 2024 played at the Nuevo Los Cármenes Stadium in front of 17,311 spectators. Before the start, a minute of silence was observed for the victims of the earthquake in Morocco and the floods in Libya.
