Match ends, Spain 7, Malta 0.
SpainSpain7MaltaMalta0
Santi Cazorla scored his first international goal in four years as Spain thrashed Malta to secure top spot in Group F of Euro 2020 qualifying.
Ex-Arsenal midfielder Cazorla, 34, returned to football last year after a career-threatening injury.
He finished a fine move for Spain's second after ex-Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata prodded in the opener.
Pau Torres, Pablo Sarabia, Dani Olmo, Gerard Moreno and Jesus Navas completed the rout in Cadiz.
Torres and Sarabia both scored within minutes of steeping off the bench for their senior Spain debuts.
Villarreal's Torres came on as a substitute in the 60th minute and netted two minutes later, followed by Dinamo Zagreb's Olmo scoring in the 69th minute, jut three minutes after entering the game.
Cazorla spent almost two years on the sidelines after having eight operations on an ankle injury and then contracting an infection that ate away 8cm of his Achilles tendon.
He underwent a reconstruction of the tendon in 2017, with doctors grafting skin from his left arm to his right ankle.
Despite being told he should be "satisfied" just to walk again, Cazorla made his return for Villarreal in August last year and went on to reclaim a place in the Spain squad five months ago.
His last goal for Spain came in a 2-0 friendly win over England in November 2015.
Line-ups
Spain
Formation 4-3-3
- 23López
- 22Navas
- 3Albiol
- 15RamosSubstituted forP Torresat 61'minutes
- 14Bernat
- 10Thiago Alcántara
- 16Rodri
- 20CazorlaSubstituted forAlcácerat 53'minutes
- 19Moreno
- 7MorataSubstituted forOlmoat 66'minutes
- 11Sarabia
Substitutes
- 1de Gea
- 2Carvajal
- 4Martínez
- 5Busquets
- 6P Torres
- 8Saúl
- 9Alcácer
- 12Olmo
- 13Arrizabalaga
- 17Ruiz
- 18Gayá
- 21Oyarzabal
Malta
Formation 5-4-1
- 1Bonello
- 15CorbalanSubstituted forMicallefat 33'minutes
- 2Caruana
- 5Agius
- 22Muscat
- 20PisaniSubstituted forGrechat 76'minutes
- 14Paiber
- 13Vella
- 11MuscatSubstituted forCaruanaat 63'minutes
- 7Mbong
- 10Nwoko
Substitutes
- 4Micallef
- 6Grech
- 8Fenech
- 9Mifsud
- 12Al-Tumi
- 16Haber
- 17Effiong
- 18Muscat
- 19Zerafa
- 21Gambin
- 23Caruana
- Referee:
- Viktor Kassai
- Attendance:
- 19,773
Match Stats
Home TeamSpainAway TeamMalta
- Possession
- Home80%
- Away20%
- Shots
- Home32
- Away1
- Shots on Target
- Home15
- Away0
- Corners
- Home15
- Away0
- Fouls
- Home4
- Away7
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Spain 7, Malta 0.
Post update
Foul by Gerard Moreno (Spain).
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Kyrian Nwoko (Malta) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Attempt missed. Pablo Sarabia (Spain) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right.
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Paco Alcácer (Spain) hits the left post with a left footed shot from the left side of the box. Assisted by Rodrigo with a through ball.
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Thiago (Spain) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Dunstan Vella (Malta).
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Attempt missed. Paco Alcácer (Spain) right footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.
Goal!
Goal! Spain 7, Malta 0. Jesús Navas (Spain) right footed shot from outside the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Thiago following a corner.
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Corner, Spain. Conceded by Jake Grech.
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Attempt saved. Dani Olmo (Spain) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Rodrigo.
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Offside, Spain. Pablo Sarabia tries a through ball, but Paco Alcácer is caught offside.
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Thiago (Spain) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Kyrian Nwoko (Malta).
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Attempt saved. Pablo Sarabia (Spain) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Jesús Navas with a cross.
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Foul by Rodrigo (Spain).
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Kyrian Nwoko (Malta) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Malta. Jake Grech replaces Jurgen Pisani.
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Corner, Spain. Conceded by Jonathan Caruana.