Established 1961 15 Sports Monday, November 13, 2017 Silva leads Spain’s assault on Costa Rica in friendly Costa Rica had only one chance of note before break MALAGA: Manchester City midfielder David Silva an otherwise familiar side which steamrolled its way played a starring role as an irresistible Spain showed through qualifying by winning nine out of 10 games and their class to thrash Costa Rica 5-0 in an international remaining unbeaten. friendly on Saturday. Silva struck twice in the second A talent-filled midfield four of Silva, Iniesta, Thiago half to further stretch the 2010 World Cup winners’ Alcantara and Isco ensured Spain monopolised posses- lead after Barcelona’s Jordi Alba had fired them into the sion in front of a buoyant, sold out crowd at Malaga’s lead in the sixth minute and Alvaro Morata had doubled La Rosaleda stadium, barely giving Costa Rica a look their advantage midway through the first half. in. The Central American side, who reached the quar- Veteran midfielder Andres Iniesta rounded off the ter-finals of the 2014 World Cup and will also be in drubbing with a distance strike in the 73rd although Russia next June, were missing Real Madrid goalkeeper there was some concern on the Spain bench when Isco Keylor Navas and his understudy Danny Carvajal asked to be substituted after proved to be a poor substi- a brutal tackle from Kendall tute, offering up little oppo- Waston although the Real sition to Spain’s attacking Madrid midfielder did not onslaught. Alba thrashed a appear to be seriously Silva cutback beyond injured. Spain coach Julen Every game Carvajal to get Spain off to Lopetegui said he was the perfect start, while the unsure if Isco would travel to will be a goalkeeper was at fault for Russia for Tuesday’s friendly the second goal, spilling a against next year’s World different world tame cross from Silva at the Cup hosts. “Isco has a big feet of Morata who gobbled knock, it’s not serious or up the rebound from close important and we’ll decide range. Costa Rica had only tomorrow if he travels to Russia or not,” Lopetegui told a one chance of note before the break and Spain showed news conference. “What I’m most pleased about was our no mercy after the interval. attitude and we need to keep it up. Every game will be a Silva pounced on a mix up in the Costa Rica defence different world. We have to believe in the type of team to score six minutes into the second period and four we are and have faith in the things we do well.” minutes later recovered the ball before slamming it low Lopetegui picked a near full-strength side for under the grasp of Carvajal to score again. Carvajal Spain’s first friendly since sealing their place in the 2018 made a third costly slip of the game in allowing Iniesta’s finals with an almost perfect qualifying campaign. distance shot through his hands, capping another MALAGA: Spain’s Iago Aspas, left, and Costa Rica’s Ronald Matarrita vie for the ball during the international He rested No. 1 goalkeeper David de Gea to hand a impressive win for Spain, who will be one of the friendly soccer match between Spain and Costa Rica in Malaga, Spain, Saturday. — AP debut to Athletic Bilbao’s Kepa Arrizabalaga but played favourites to lift the World Cup next year. —Reuters eight Serie A titles with the Turin giants. At age 39, his statistics are Italy’s old staggering. With a remarkable 627 Italian top-flight appearances he will also will earn his 175th cap against Morocco, Tunisia guard face final Sweden on Monday. That is 39 more than another 2006 World Cup winner, stand in WCup Fabio Cannavaro, and 63 more than the take different legendary Dino Zoff. “I don’t want to think it’s the game of life, but I’m con- play-off vinced that with the help of the public paths to World Cup we will do it,” he insists. MILAN: Italy’s old guard face a final JOHANNESBURG: North African nations Morocco stand in today’s World Cup play-off DANIELE DE ROSSI (Roma) and Tunisia took contrasting routes Saturday as they against Sweden in the San Siro after Defensive midfielder De Rossi is qualified for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Morocco Gian Piero Ventura’s side lost the away going for a fourth World Cup. The 34- scored twice within five minutes through Nabil Dirar leg 1-0. Here AFP Sport looks at the year-old has spent his entire senior and Medhi Benatia during the opening half to tri- three veteran warriors of the 2006 career with hometown club Roma umph 2-0 in the Ivory Coast and win Group C. World Cup-winning campaign who face which he joined in 2000, rejecting big The “Atlas Lions” are going back to the tourna- an inglorious exit if Italy fail to qualify money moves away. He scored on his ment for the first time since 1998 after finishing with for the tournament for the first time in international debut in 2004 in a World 12 points, having not conceded a goal during the six- 60 years. Cup qualifying match against Norway. match group campaign. Ivory Coast, who never He wore Italy’s captain’s armband for looked like recovering from the first-half blows, came GIANLUIGI BUFFON (Juventus) the first time in a 0-0 friendly draw second with eight points followed by Gabon with six The Italy and Juventus captain is tar- against Iceland in March 2005. De and Mali with four. geting a record sixth World Cup Rossi overtook the recently-retired Morocco coach Herve Renard revealed after the appearance in Russia. He made his inter- Andrea Pirlo in the all-time appear- match that Moroccan King Mohammed VI had called MILAN: Italy coach Gian Piero Ventura, left, and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon arrive for to congratulate the team. “I thank His Majesty for national debut as a 19-year-old in ances list when he earned his 117th cap a press conference ahead of today’s World Cup qualifying play-off. — AP October 1997 in the snow of another in the first leg of the play-off in the calling me. It’s a huge honour,” said the Frenchman. World Cup play-off against Russia, Swedish capital, but Buffon’s haul is “He wanted to talk to us to pay tribute to every- coming on for the injured Gianluigi well out of reach. “It would be great to despite being one of the most decorated went on to star for Ascoli, Chievo, one. Tonight we are proud of the Moroccan shirt, Pagliuca, and immediately saved hero- be able to play at my fourth World Cup. defenders of his generation the 36-year- Palermo and Wolfsburg before joining proud that the Moroccan flag returns to the World ically from Dmitri Alenichev and ensured It’s a tournament that no one wants to old often goes under the radar. Barzagli Juventus in 2011. “Andrea is our profes- Cup. This is the fifth qualification so Morocco is not Italy qualified for the following year’s miss,” said De Rossi. “The stakes are so started playing midfield but was advised sor. He’s always in the right place at the a small (football) country.” World Cup. Buffon, whose mother was a high that the idea of shedding blood by Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri right time,” says Juventus teammate Tunisia could not break down neighbours Libya in discus thrower and father a weightlifter, and sweat is appropriate. We must give to switch to defence when the pair Giorgio Chiellini. He won his first senior Rades on the outskirts of Tunis and had to settle for a made his Serie A debut with Parma, win- everything right to the finish.” played together for Pistoiese in the cap in November 2004, in a 1-0 friendly 0-0 draw that was just enough to see them first over ning the Italian Cup, the Italian Super Italian second division. “I said that if he win against Finland under Marcello the finishing line. With second-place Democratic Cup and the UEFA Cup before joining ANDREA BARZAGLI (Juventus) wanted a different kind of career, he Lippi. Capped 73 times, it would be his Republic of Congo netting twice in stoppage time to Juventus for 51 million euros in 2001 and Barzagli has won the World Cup, needed to change-he needed to drop third World Cup after being overlooked defeat Guinea 3-1 in Kinshasa, only one point sepa- going on to become a club legend with Bundesliga and six Scudettos, but back 15 metres,” said Allegri. Barzagli by Lippi in 2010. — AFP rated the top two. Unbeaten Tunisia collected 14 points to book a first World Cup appearance since 2006, DR Congo had 13, Libya four and Guinea three. Senegal sealed a Feyenoord’s Nicolai Jorgensen. place in Russia Friday by winning 2-0 in South Africa Irish manager O’Neill made just one and the other two African qualifiers, Nigeria and change from the team that beat Wales Randolph Egypt, secured slots last month. 1-0 to snatch second place in qualifying Ivory Coast had the first chance at a packed Group D last month, bringing in Bristol 35,000-seat Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny but vet- frustrates City midfielder Callum O’Dowda to eran Gervinho blazed over with only the goalkeeper replace the suspended David Meyler. to beat from inside the box.