KONYA, Turkey (Reuters) -Mikel Merino’s hat-trick helped Spain to thrash hosts Turkey 6-0 in a World Cup qualifier on Sunday as the European champions remained firmly in control of Group E.
The hosts had no answer to Spain’s dominance, undone time and again by the visitors’ speed and finesse, with a helpless Turkish defence torn apart on every counter-attack.
Spain lead the group with six points from two matches, while Turkey and Georgia sit on three points from the same. Georgia beat Bulgaria 3-0 earlier on Sunday.
The visitors struck early as Pedri found the net in the sixth minute, slotting past goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir.
Merino doubled Spain’s tally in the 22nd minute, finishing off a slick passing move inside the box with a simple unmarked strike past the Turkish defence.
In first-half stoppage time, Merino struck again, this time latching onto a pull-back and firing home to give Spain a three-goal cushion at the interval.
The onslaught resumed eight minutes into the second half when a Turkish corner backfired, Ferran Torres leading a rapid counter-attack and finishing off a sharp exchange inside the box to make it four.
Brimming with confidence, Merino completed his hat-trick just four minutes later, capping another breakaway with a stunning left-footed curler from distance that flew into the top corner for Spain’s fifth.
Pedri added another one for Spain in the 62nd minute, arriving unmarked at the end of another swift break to slot home his second for the night.
(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
