Two-time defending champions Spain progressed to the last 16 of the European Championship with a masterful display against a poor Turkey in Nice.
In the performance of the tournament, Spain became the first team to score more than twice in a Euro 2016 match.
Alvaro Morata headed Spain ahead while Nolito doubled the lead within minutes, side-footing home from close range.
The third goal was a sublime 21-pass move involving nine outfield players, ending with Morata finding the net.
In the past Spain have often found it difficult to break down opponents intent on defending deeply to contain their technical brilliance, but they had no such trouble against a Turkish team who found it impossible to suppress their opponents.
Spain came into the match after winning their opening game of a European Championships or World Cup for the first time since Euro 2008, while Turkey had been heavily criticised for their poor display in their loss to Croatia, and the match unfolded as many had predicted.
The Spaniards, unbeaten in 62 years against their opponents and undefeated in their last 13 games at the European Championship finals, were dominant and, at times, unplayable.
They went close on a number of occasions, through Gerard Pique and Nolito, before going ahead when Juventus’ Morata brilliantly headed Nolito’s cross into the far corner.
Within three minutes the Spaniards had doubled their advantage. Nolito turned from provider to poacher as Turkey’s Mehmet Topal headed Cesc Fabregas’ chipped pass into the forward’s path.
Spain’s one-touch, fluid football was a joy to watch and the third goal, arriving quickly after the break, was as inevitable as it pleasing on the eye.
In a dreamy sequence, involving every outfield player except Pique, Iniesta – superb once again – produced the defence-splitting pass to Jordi Alba, who unselfishly passed to Morata for the striker to slot home from four yards. The only note to sour the delightful move was that replays showed Alba fractionally offside.
Vincent del Bosque’s men eased off after the third, retaining possession with ease, while Turkey’s impotence in attack ensured the Spaniards’ defensive record – they have now conceded a goal in only one of their last 11 games in the tournament – remained unblemished.
Turkey will now prepare to face the Czech Republic on Tuesday knowing that they cannot progress any further in this competition, having reached the semi-finals the last time they qualified in 2008.
Fatih Terim’s men received some “nasty” criticism, according to their star man Arda Turan, after their 1-0 opening defeat and their critics will not have been silenced after this trouncing.
Midway through the second half, Turkey’s fans booed the Barcelona playmaker as he slowed down a counter-attack and the captain responded by gesturing towards his supporters, giving them the thumbs up.
Indeed, it has been a forgettable tournament for Turan – a 40m-euro purchase for Barca from Atletico Madrid – who was also booed by his own fans against Croatia.
Terim named an attacking line-up, choosing Burak Yilmaz, the top scorer in their squad with 20 international goals, but there was little Turkey could do without the ball and they wasted the opportunities they did have – Burak Yilmaz and Olcay Sahan shooting wide when they should have done better – leaving Turkey to end the match without a single shot on target.
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