Manchester City winger Ferran Torres scored his first career hat-trick as Spain inflicted Germany’s heaviest competitive defeat and joined France in the four-team Nations League finals.
In a repeat of the Euro 2008 final, former Chelsea forward Alvaro Morata headed home Spain’s first goal, before Torres volleyed home emphatically.
Rodri made it three with a guided header, and Torres slotted in a fourth before curling home the fifth.
Mikel Oyarzabal’s tap-in made it 6-0.
Spain and France will be joined by either Belgium or Denmark from Group A2 and Italy, the Netherlands or Poland from Group A1.
Summer bargain Torres shines
It was a game that Spain dominated from the off – having 70% possession and 23 shots – but it was 20-year-old Torres who stole the show.
His fast, intelligent movement and eye for a goal has impressed in the opening weeks of the season, and his performance here strengthened the idea that Manchester City may have got a bargain after only paying an initial £20m for his services.
His raw pace and trickery set up an incorrectly disallowed Morata goal, before he showed composure to set himself and volley home his first.
His second again demonstrated excellent temperament, as he controlled a cross that was behind him before slotting underneath Manuel Neuer.
He saved the best for last as he superbly curled home from the edge of the area to take his international tally to four goals.
His performance will have delighted fans in the blue half of Manchester, with the man he technically replaced at City, Leroy Sane, completely ineffective for the Germans.
More to follow.
Line-ups
Spain
- 23Simón
- 20Roberto
- 15RamosSubstituted forGarcíaat 43′minutes
- 2Torres
- 14Gayà
- 16Rodri
- 18TorresSubstituted forOyarzabalat 73′minutes
- 8Koke
- 6CanalesSubstituted forRuizat 12′minutes
- 19OlmoSubstituted forAsensioat 73′minutes
- 7MorataSubstituted forMorenoat 73′minutes
Substitutes
- 1de Gea
- 3Cucurella
- 4Martínez
- 5Llorente
- 9Moreno
- 10Asensio
- 11Traoré
- 12García
- 13Arrizabalaga
- 17Ruiz
- 21Oyarzabal
- 22Merino
Germany
- 1Neuer
- 4Ginter
- 15SüleSubstituted forTahat 45′minutesBooked at 67mins
- 2KochBooked at 37mins
- 13Max
- 18GoretzkaSubstituted forNeuhausat 61′minutes
- 21Gündogan
- 8Kroos
- 19SanéSubstituted forWaldschmidtat 61′minutes
- 20Gnabry
- 9WernerSubstituted forHenrichsat 77′minutes
Substitutes
- 3Uduokhai
- 5Tah
- 6Neuhaus
- 7Amiri
- 10Brandt
- 11Waldschmidt
- 12Leno
- 14Henrichs
- 17Stark
- 22Trapp
- 23Dahoud
Live Text
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Match ends, Spain 6, Germany 0.
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Second Half ends, Spain 6, Germany 0.
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Goal! Spain 6, Germany 0. Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by José Gayà.
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Corner, Spain. Conceded by Jonathan Tah.
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Attempt blocked. Gerard Moreno (Spain) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Fabián Ruiz.
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Offside, Germany. Matthias Ginter tries a through ball, but Serge Gnabry is caught offside.
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Offside, Spain. Rodrigo tries a through ball, but Marco Asensio is caught offside.
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Offside, Germany. Toni Kroos tries a through ball, but Florian Neuhaus is caught offside.
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Foul by Gerard Moreno (Spain).
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Robin Koch (Germany) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Serge Gnabry (Germany) hits the bar with a right footed shot from outside the box following a fast break.
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Substitution, Germany. Benjamin Henrichs replaces Timo Werner.
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José Gayà (Spain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Florian Neuhaus (Germany).
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Substitution, Spain. Mikel Oyarzabal replaces Ferran Torres.
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Substitution, Spain. Gerard Moreno replaces Álvaro Morata.
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Substitution, Spain. Marco Asensio replaces Dani Olmo.
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Goal! Spain 5, Germany 0. Ferran Torres (Spain) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Fabián Ruiz following a fast break.
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Corner, Spain. Conceded by Robin Koch.
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Jonathan Tah (Germany) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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