More than two years after his last international foray (13/X/2020 in Ukraine) and his last -and only- international goal (6/IX/2020 against Ukraine in Madrid), Ansu Fati smiled again dressed in red . The Barça striker opened the scoring in the friendly against Jordan, the last stop for Luis Enrique's team on the way to the World Cup, and completed 72 minutes on the pitch. Great news for the interests of Spain.
But you can also see the glass half empty after what was a mock match that contributed little or nothing to the preparation of the national team in its aspiration to embroider a second star on top of its shield. Much more useful would have been to play a match between the internationals themselves in which the coach could have tested various defensive and offensive systems. None of this happened in Amman, where the best news, Ansu Fati aside, was the absence of new medical reports. As if wanting to turn the page quickly, the Spanish expedition left as soon as the match was over for Doha, where they will set up their base camp at the University of Qatar this morning to prepare, this time, for their World Cup debut against Costa Rica with a clear plan.
The first sign that the match against Jordan was not going as seriously as Luis Enrique had anticipated came before the opening whistle, when Spain got away with it against Jordanian interests and managed to make eleven changes. An extreme that will prevent FIFA from recognizing the duel, as if it had never been played. almost better.
Another sign that the preparation game was not going to be such came with the line-up decided by Luis Enrique and his assistants, one of the most experimental in his memory, a mix of regulars with some of his most trusted men. Beyond the announced Ansu Fati, whom the coach had already pointed out as a starter in the preview, what most attracted attention was perhaps the presence on the left side of Laporte, one of the most trusted central defenders of the Spanish coach. In the vanguard, Masco Asensio performed well as a center forward in the absence of Morata, although the lack of aggressiveness of the Jordanian defense, the twelfth best Asian coach, prevents drawing great conclusions.
Spain was able to go to rest with a scandalous win. Each gallop of the red attackers, each counterattack, always ends with a shot. But Ansu Fati's goal before the first quarter of an hour of play, with the invaluable help of the local goalkeeper Al-Fakhouri, was the only one that went up on the scoreboard. Carlos Soler, another of those who shone in the midfield, Fati himself on two occasions and Asensio had excellent options to widen the difference on the scoreboard but had no luck with their shots. The Jordanians barely had an opportunity, but it was clear, taking advantage of an error by Pau Torres when the ball was released, which Al Naimat did not know how to turn into a goal, largely due to a highly meritorious action by Robert Sánchez, the starter, replaced at halftime by David Raya. The starter, Unai Simón, did not take the field. It was not a question of risking. That defensive fragility is pending work for the selection.
Spain's second goal did come in a much less lucid second half, in which Jordan also started with three shots in three minutes, without too much danger, yes. Gavi, on the other hand, did not miss and scored the second with his left foot, culminating a good incursion by Carlos Soler and a missed shot by Sarabia. The third and final one was sealed by Nico Williams with a cross shot. With the job done, and wanting to finally land in Qatar, why kid yourself, Spain waited for the final whistle to get on the plane to Doha. He relaxed so much that Al Dardoor took advantage of it to score the honor with a good technical detail. All happy.
1 - Jordan: Al Fakhouri; Haddad, Naseeb (Rateb, min. 46), Al Arab, Abu Hasheesh; Al Rawabdeh, Al Samrieh (Ayed, min. 46), Saadeh; Al Tamari (Abu Zurayq, min. 69), Al Naimat (Al Kloub, min. 69) and Al Mardi (Al Dardoor, min. 64).
3 - Spain: Robert Sánchez (Raya, min.46); Carvajal (Azpilicueta, min.46), Eric García (Rodri, min.71), Pau Torres, Laporte (Jordi Alba, min.57); Koke (Yeremi Pino, min.57), Gavi (Dani Olmo, min.57), Carlos Soler; Sarabia (Ferrán, min.57), Ansu Fati (Nico Williams, mon.71) and Asensio.
Goles: 0-1, min. 13: Ansu Fati. 0-2, min. 56: Gavi. 0-3, min. 83: Nico Williams. 1-3, min. 91: Al Dardoor.
Referee: Ahmed Al-Kaf (Oman). No reprimands.
Incidents: friendly match played at the Amman International Stadium in front of 20,000 spectators.
