Spain     7
Malta    0

Spain: Pau Lopez, R. Albiol, A. Morata (D. Olmo 66'), Thiago Alcantara, P. Sarabia, J. Bernat, S. Ramos (P. Torres 60'), Rodri, G. Moreno, Santi Cazorla (P. Alcacer 53'), J. Navas

Malta: H. Bonello, J. Caruana, A. Agius, J. Mbong, K. Nwoko, R. Muscat (T. Caruana 63'), D. Vella, B. Paiber, J. Corbalan (K. Micallef 33'), J. Pisani (J. Grech 75'), Z. Muscat

Referee: Viktor Kassai (Hungary)

Ass. Referees: Gyorgy Ring, Vencel Toth (Hungary)

Fourth Official: Thamas Bognar (Hungary)

Scorers: A. Morata 23', S. Cazorla 41', P. Torres 62', P. Sarabia 63', D. Olmo 69', G. Moreno 71', J. Navas 85'.

Yellow cards: none

The much-feared trip to Cadiz with the expected humiliation at the hands of Spain, unfortunately, materialised yesterday with the Maltese completely outclassed by the Spanish, and suffering seven goals in the process.

Goals apart the Maltese were never in the game, especially in the second half when the Spaniards had a training spin, scoring at will. The statistics speak out loud, with the Spanish having 33 attempts at goal against Malta's only effort and their possession reaching 77 percent.

The Spanish goalkeeper Pau Lopez had a very easy debut for his country only touching the ball on a handful of instances, mainly from back passes from fellow defenders.

Coach Ray Farrugia, who injured his head and had to be treated in the second half, adopted a rigid defensive set up, which somehow resisted in the first half in which Malta suffered only two goals. But on the resumption the Spanish showed no mercy, exposing Malta's limits, especially between minutes 62 to 71 in which the Maltese suffered four goals in nine minutes.

As expected Spain immediately took control of the match and had a Ramos header going wide after four minutes. The Maltese withstood the pressure with the Spanish never really dangerous. On 22 minutes Bonello had to charge out of position to block Morata and from the resultant corner on 23 minutes Spain broke the deadlock.

A series of headers found Alvaro Morata in an ideal position in front of Bonello and the striker managed to squeeze the ball home. Minutes later Spain scored a second goal but this was ruled offside with Morata interfering with Bonello.

On 32 minutes Ray Farrugia was forced to make his first substitution when Juan Corbalan had hamstring problems and was replaced by Hamrun Spartans defender Karl Micallef. Spain continued to dictate with the Maltese rarely venturing past the halfway line.

Four minutes from the break Spain doubled the score with an excellent move that ripped the Malta defence apart and Santi Cazorla hit low past Bonello with the ball hitting the base of the upright before finishing at the back of the net.

A minute later Spain were inches away from the third goal with Gerard Moreno failing to connect with an open goal at his mercy.

At the start of the second half, Malta had their first attempt with Nwoko trying from long distance. On 56 minutes defender, Jonathan Caruana made a heroic save heading off the goal line a Gerard Moreno point-blank effort.

Sixty seconds later Moreno missed a sitter hitting wide with only Bonello to beat. However, the third goal was in the offing and arrived on 62 minutes with Pau Torres who had just come on as a substitute, scoring from close range.

A minute later Spain scored a fourth with Sarabia firing in the top corner of the net. The Maltese now lost their composure and the Spanish kept pushing forward stretching our defence to the limit with scoring opportunities at regular intervals.

Bonello made a couple of daring saves as the Maltese were now at the opponents' mercy. On 68 minutes Spain scored a fifth with Olmo dribbling past Bonello to put at the back of the net. Gerard Moreno finally put his name on the scorers' sheet when he tapped easily home a Bernat cross from the left.

The Spaniards eased some of the pressure after this goal but added a seventh one five minutes from time when Jesus Navas scored a beauty with Bonello out of position. In stoppage time some luck for the Maltese when a Navas shot smashed against the upright.