DOHA: Spain shredded Costa Rica 7-0 on Wednesday in a brutal destruction in their Group E opener which launched their bid to lift a second World Cup.
Avoiding the fate of giants Argentina and group rivals Germany, who lost 2-1 to Japan earlier on, Luis Enrique’s fancied side sparkled at Doha’s Al Thumama Stadium, dominating possession and taking their chances mercilessly.
Ferran Torres netted twice and Marco Asensio, Dani Olmo, Gavi, Carlos Soler and Alvaro Morata were also on the scoresheet for the Euro 2020 semifinalists in an emphatic romp.
In the past the 2010 World Cup winners have paid the price for profligacy but all three forward Luis Enrique selected netted in the first half to pay back his trust in them.
The coach placed Asensio at false nine, flanked by Olmo and Torres, starting with Morata and Ansu Fati on the bench.
The coach opted to deploy Manchester City midfielder Rodri Hernandez in central defense, alongside club team-mate Aymeric Laporte, correctly anticipating his team would monopolize the ball.
It took only 11 minutes for La Roja to open the scoring, with Gavi stabbing a pass forward for Olmo to receive in the area and the RB Leipzig winger taking one sublime touch to turn and another to stroke the ball gently past Keylor Navas.
Costa Rica, who were a surprise package at the 2014 World Cup, beating Italy and Uruguay and drawing with England to top their group, were sliced apart again for the second goal 10 minutes later.
Jordi Alba’s low drilled cross was rammed home by Real Madrid forward Asensio past his former team-mate Navas, who might have done more to keep it out.
Torres stroked home from the penalty spot after Alba was fouled by Oscar Duarte — a soft call on a hard night for Los Ticos, who were never in the game and failed to muster a shot at goal.
Barcelona forward Torres capitalized on more slack defending to fire the fourth past Navas early in the second half.
Luis Enrique was able to take off the effervescent Pedri and Torres before the hour mark in order to rest them for Sunday’s clash with Germany, and handed teenage Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde his debut.
The 19-year-old roared up the pitch in the build-up to Spain’s fifth goal, with substitute Morata crossing for Gavi to drill home with aplomb.
Kopa Trophy winner Gavi became the third youngest goalscorer at a World Cup at 18 years and 110 days old, after Mexico’s Manuel Rosas and record holder Pele.
Soler and Morata then got in on the act with stoppage-time strikes to pile further misery on Costa Rica and help Spain flex their muscles in a perfect opening match in Qatar.
Spain ignite World Cup bid by smashing seven past Costa Rica
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Spain ignite World Cup bid by smashing seven past Costa Rica
- Luis Enrique's fancied side sparkled at Doha's Al Thumama Stadium, dominating possession and taking their chances mercilessly
- Ferran Torres netted twice and Marco Asensio, Dani Olmo, Gavi, Carlos Soler and Alvaro Morata were also on the scoresheet
Nelly Korda and the US keep rolling in Solheim Cup and lead Europe 10-6
- US captain Stacy Lewis watched her role players excel, and the Americans concluded a warm, breezy day at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club with a 10-6 advantage
- The US needs 4 1/2 points from a dozen singles matches to win the cup, and Europe needs eight points to retain it
GAINESVILLE, Virginia: Alison Lee sparked a shirtless caddie celebration by spinning a wedge into the cup for eagle. Andrea Lee holed a bunker shot to set up Rose Zhang’s walk-off eagle one hole later. And Megan Khang paused for 10 seconds to let gravity help her out on a critical birdie putt.
The wait was worth it for the US, which maintained a four-point lead over Europe in the Solheim Cup on Saturday.
With top-ranked Nelly Korda getting an afternoon break after winning the leadoff point in three consecutive sessions of team matches, US captain Stacy Lewis watched her role players excel, and the Americans concluded a warm, breezy day at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club with a 10-6 advantage.
“They’re playing the way I expected them to play, so I’m not surprised at all,” Lewis said. “But at the same time, to do it on this stage and in these moments and to pull these shots off and to make the putts and to do it with the joy that they’re doing it with, it’s the coolest part to me.”
Europe, which has captured the Solheim Cup the last three times, won the last two matches to conclude a 4-4 day. But the team in royal blue and yellow will need its largest comeback in Sunday singles to make it a record four in a row. The US rallied from four points down to win in Germany in 2015.
The US needs 4 1/2 points from a dozen singles matches to win the cup, and Europe needs eight points to retain it. Captain Suzann Pettersen drew inspiration from the European Ryder Cup team’s rally from the same deficit to win at Medinah in 2012.
“I was on the opposite side in Germany, and I know what it feels like,” Pettersen said. “Everyone remembers Medinah. I mean, it’s a tough task.”
Lewis has relied on data to find the right combinations, whether keeping Korda and Allizen Corpuz together for alternate shot; sending rookie Lauren Coughlin out with three partners; or giving Zhang a comfortable pairing with Andrea Lee, her fellow Stanford Cardinal.
“I know their games backwards and forward, and it’s allowed me to create some really good pairings,” Lewis said.
Korda and Corpuz fell behind early against Carlota Ciganda and Emily Pedersen but turned it around on the back nine and got a break when Corpuz hit a worm-burner of a fairway wood into the par-5 14th hole that avoided the water and settled within 20 feet. Korda put her hands on her head in disbelief and Lewis gave Corpuz a shoulder rub in the fairway.
Korda holed the putt for eagle, her second in a row on a hole the US has dominated, and she and Corpuz became the first American duo to go 4-0 in foursomes after winning twice last year in Spain.
“The Americans have played unbelievable. I don’t know how many eagles they’ve had. It seems like they’ve had double figures,” Hall of Famer and European assistant captain Laura Davies said. “They’ve just played great golf. Out-putted us at the moment. Deep squad of players. We’ll never say never, but it is going to be very, very difficult to get the cup back.”
A day after transportation problems prevented most fans from getting to the golf course for the opening tee shots, a situation that LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan took responsibility for, the grandstands surrounding the first tee were full and fans lined the gallery ropes shortly after 7 a.m.
The only thing that kept them quiet was a slow start by the Americans, but it got loud once Korda started rolling.
In the first afternoon better-ball match, Anna Nordqvist and Madelene Sagstrom were 2 down to Khang and Alison Lee when Nordqvist birdied the par-3 11th hole. Khang’s tying putt hung on the lip for 10 seconds before dropping, and she confirmed with a rules official that she had not waited too long for the ball to move.
Needing two putts to win the 14th, Khang made her 15-footer for eagle anyway, setting up the latest fist-pumping celebration for the Americans’ loudest cheerleader, who was next to the green in a cowboy hat when Corpuz hit her approach hours earlier.
Khang and Lee closed it out on the next hole for a 4-and-3 victory, Lee’s first in a Solheim Cup match since 2015. She gave the US an early lead with her wedge from 86 yards for an eagle 2 on the second hole, and the Americans’ caddies stripped from the waist up and chest-bumped to pay off a bet with Lee that they agreed to on the tee box.
“Literally holed out five minutes after that conversation. Great motivation,” Lee said.
Zhang and Andrea Lee never trailed in their 6-and-4 victory over Linn Grant and Celine Boutier. Zhang, the youngest US player at 21 who had a forgettable Solheim debut last year, joined Korda and Coughlin by winning all three of her matches.
Pettersen benched Leona Maguire, a valuable contributor in the last two Solheim Cups who has played poorly this year, for both sessions. Rookie Albane Valenzuela also sat out all day, while Charley Hull and Pedersen played four matches each.
Hull delivered. The excitable English player hit a 300-yard-plus drive on the par-4 18th to set up a wedge to tap-in range by Esther Henseleit for a 1-up victory in foursomes over Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho, then did it again as she and Georgia Hall beat Corpuz and Lilia Vu 2 up in better ball.
Lexi Thompson improved her record in alternate shot to 7-2-1 in what is likely her final Solheim Cup, teaming with the unbeaten Coughlin to make four birdies in six holes on the back nine and beat Maja Stark and Hall, 4 and 3.
Thompson and Ewing were beaten 2 and 1 by Ciganda and Pedersen in fourballs. Ewing has lost her last six Solheim Cup matches.
Champions Italy, Argentina qualify for Davis Cup final eight
- On Sunday, the last two places are up for grabs with Britain needing to beat Canada 3-0 at home in Manchester to take the Group D berth ahead of the Canadians
- All is to play for in Group A between Brazil, Belgium and the Netherlands, depending on the result of the clash between the Dutch and Italy
PARIS: Defending champions Italy qualified for the Davis Cup final eight on Saturday without playing as Argentina advanced with a dominant 3-0 win over Finland.
Italy and Argentina join Spain, Australia, the US and Germany, who are already through to the eight-team finals in Malaga, Spain from Nov. 19-24.
On Sunday, the last two places are up for grabs with Britain needing to beat Canada 3-0 at home in Manchester to take the Group D berth ahead of the Canadians.
All is to play for in Group A between Brazil, Belgium and the Netherlands, depending on the result of the clash between the Dutch and Italy.
In Bologna, Italy advanced thanks to Brazil’s 2-1 victory over Belgium.
Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro beat Belgian Zizou Bergs 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 after Joao Fonseca defeated Raphael Collignon 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.
Belgium kept their slim hopes alive thanks to their doubles victory.
In Group D, Guillermo Coria’s Argentina powered back after 2-1 to Canada on Tuesday crushing last year’s semifinalists Finland.
Tomas Martin Etcheverry beat Eero Vasa 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 with Francisco Cerundolo battling past Otto Virtanen 6-7 (4/7), 6-1, 6-0
Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni survived dropping their opening set to take the doubles. Argentina return to the last eight for the first time since 2019.
“We knew we had to win 3-0,” said Gonzalez.
Etcheverry added: “The Davis Cup was a tournament I always dreamed about as a child. It was so important to get the first point.”
In China, Reilly Opelka saved two match points, with Brandon Nakashima also winning as the US beat Germany 2-1 to take top spot in Group C.
Both 32-times tournament winners USA and Germany were already through to the final eight but were playing for top spot in the group which helps determine seeding.
Bob Bryan’s US team made it three wins out of three having also defeated Slovakia and Chile.
Opelka beat Germany’s Henri Squire 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (11/9), 6-3 in Zhuhai with Nakashima easing past Maximilian Marterer 6-4, 6-2.
Germany’s Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz won the doubles rubber.
In World Group 1, Novak Djokovic eased to a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Ioannis Xilas as Serbia took a 2-0 lead over Greece.
The 37-year-old world No. 4, who won the Davis Cup with Serbia in 2010, wrapped up the match in just 45 minutes.
Earlier, Miomir Kecmanovic gave Serbia a 1-0 lead with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Aristotelis Thanos.
Djokovic is playing his first match since losing in the third round of the US Open.
“It is always a great pleasure to play here,” said Djokovic.
“This may be the last time I will play in front of this audience. The format is changing.
“It’s been seven years since I last played the Davis Cup here. I don’t know if I have seven more years of my career. We’ll see, some young tennis players who will defend the colors of the national team need to take over the helm.”
Casper Ruud secured a 3-1 win for Norway in their World Group I tie against Portugal.
PSG stay perfect and clinical Marseille beat unlucky Nice in French league
- Luis Enrique’s team has coped with the departure of Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid and has 16 goals so far
- New Marseille striker Neal Maupay scored against his former club in a 2-0 win over Nice, who hit the woodwork three times
MARSEILLE, France: Ousmane Dembele scored twice and Paris Saint-Germain remained perfect and prolific in the French league after beating Brest 3-1 on Saturday.
PSG stayed in command at the top of the standings with a fourth win in as many games.
Luis Enrique’s team has coped with the departure of Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid and has 16 goals so far.
Brest goalkeeper Marco Bizot managed to keep PSG at bay until Dembele leveled the score three minutes before the interval. Romain Del Castillo put Brest ahead from the penalty spot at the Parc des Princes.
PSG then killed any remaining suspense in the space of 80 seconds when Fabian Ruiz scored in the 73rd with a powerful strike and Dembele completed his brace in the next minute.
Despite the millions of euros invested to build a competitive team since a 2011 takeover by Qatari investors, PSG are still chasing an elusive Champions League title. They will host Girona on Wednesday in Europe’s top club competition.
Brest, who also qualified for the tournament with a third-place finish last season, play Sturm Graz on Thursday.
Maupay scores in first Marseille start
New Marseille striker Neal Maupay scored against his former club in a 2-0 win over Nice, who hit the woodwork three times.
On a day when Marseille celebrated their 125th anniversary, Maupay was handed his first start by coach Roberto De Zerbi.
Marseille had just five shots on target and scored twice to remain unbeaten, just two points behind PSG.
Maupay joined from English Premier League club Everton on a season loan with an obligation to buy. He was trained at Nice then went on to play 160 Premier League matches with various sides.
Maupay made up for Marseille’s inadequacies in the first half by converting a rare chance in the 40th minute. He headed the ball home past Nice goalkeeper Marcin Bulka after a cross from Luis Henrique in the penalty area took a deflection.
Marseille enjoyed most of the possession but Nice was the most dangerous side in the first half and Maupay’s opener came after Melvin Bard volleyed onto the left post.
Nice hit the posts two more times after the interval.
Luis Henrique turned provider early in the second half with a beautiful curled shot into the top left corner after a one-two with Amine Harit on the edge of the box.
Marseille finished the match with 10 men after center back Derek Cornelius took too much time over a free kick and received a second yellow card. Nice camped in Marseille’s half in the last 10 minutes but good efforts from Marseille goalie Geronimo Rulli coupled with hard luck kept the visitors at bay.
Monaco stays unbeaten
Monaco was a class above Auxerre and secured a deserved 3-0 away win with goals from Thilo Kehrer, Vanderson and Denis Zakaria.
The result moved the Principality side level on points with Marseille ahead of next week’s Champions League tie with Barcelona.
Auxerre goalkeeper Donovan Leon made a costly mistake after just eight minutes when he fumbled the ball from Kehrer’s header and let it in. Auxerre was then forced to take risks and was punished on the counter.
Switzerland midfielder Denis Zakaria was excellent, with one goal and one superb lofted assist for Vanderson.
Jon Rahm moves closer to LIV points title with a 64 to take the lead in Chicago
- This is the final LIV event that offers a $4 million prize for the individual winner
BOLINGBROOK, Illinois: Jon Rahm moved closer to two big paydays with a 6-under 64 on Saturday, giving the Spaniard a one-shot lead in LIV Golf Chicago as he moves closer to winning the season points title.
Rahm tapped in for birdie on his final hole, the par-5 third at Bolingbrook Golf Course, to lead Sergio Garcia (65) by one shot.
Rahm and Joaquin Niemann of Chile are the only players who can win the points title and the $18 million bonus. Niemann birdied his last two holes to salvage a 68 and was three shots behind Rahm going into the third and final round.
“The goal is to win. If I do that, the rest takes care of itself,” Rahm said.
He was at 7-under 133.
Brooks Koepka, who opened with a 62 to build a four-shot lead after 18 holes, had six bogeys and had to make a 20-foot birdie putt on the last hole for a 73. He still was two shots behind.
This is the final LIV event that offers a $4 million prize for the individual winner. The third season of the Saudi-funded league wraps up with the team championship next week.
Vinicius, Mbappe penalties help Madrid beat Real Sociedad
- The Spanish champions moved within a point of leaders Barcelona who face last season’s surprise package Girona on Sunday
SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain: Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe both struck from the penalty spot to earn Real Madrid a 2-0 win at Real Sociedad in La Liga on Saturday.
The Spanish champions moved within a point of leaders Barcelona who face last season’s surprise package Girona on Sunday.
Real Sociedad hit the woodwork on three occasions before Madrid’s second half spot-kicks earned them three points from an end-to-end clash at the Reale Arena.
“It was a tough game, probably we didn’t deserve to win because Real Sociedad played very well... but we bore it out, we suffered, we were committed in the tough moments of the game and I value that a lot,” said Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti.
“This sacrifice and commitment from a team with such quality, you cannot always find — and today we found it.
The Italian was without injured midfielders Jude Bellingham and Aurelien Tchouameni, and benched Rodrygo Goes for Brahim Diaz.
After Mbappe netted twice to score his first La Liga goals in his previous outing, all eyes were on the French forward.
The former Paris Saint-Germain striker forced Real Sociedad goalkeeper Alex Remiro into a smart save and had a surging run forward cut short by some last-ditch defending.
Real Sociedad hit the woodwork for the first of three occasions when new arrival Luka Sucic slammed an effort from distance against the bar.
Ancelotti brought on Rodrygo after Diaz suffered an injury and the champions came close through Antonio Rudiger’s header, clawed out by Remiro, and an Mbappe effort across the face of goal.
At the other end Real Sociedad forward Sheraldo Becker struck the bar when played in.
Sucic fired a low strike against the post early in the second half as the Basque side lacked luck in front of goal and Madrid inevitably capitalized.
Vinicius fired home from the spot in the 58th minute after Sergio Gomez handled Arda Guler’s drive and Mbappe soon followed suit.
The French superstar sent Remiro the wrong way from the spot after Jon Aramburu stood on Vinicius’ foot.
Madrid saw the remaining 15 minutes out without stress ahead of their return to Champions League action on Tuesday against Stuttgart.
Mbappe now has three goals in five La Liga matches for Madrid, although two have come from the penalty spot.
Los Blancos last tasted defeat in La Liga in September 2023, going 37 league matches unbeaten since.
“We had a great first half, we had a lot of chances, the game was alive,” said Real Sociedad’s Igor Zubeldia.
“In the second half we started well but the penalty was a tough blow... we were comfortable, it changed the whole game for us.”
Earlier Sevilla earned their first victory of the season with a tight 1-0 triumph over Getafe and Villarreal moved provisionally third with a 2-1 win at Mallorca.
