Luis de la Fuente’s side show their strength in depth with a dominant display despite the absence of Lamine Yamal.
Spain concluded their preparations for the World Cup in emphatic fashion, brushing aside Peru 3-1 on Monday in a friendly staged in Puebla, Mexico.
Widely regarded as one of the frontrunners for the trophy, ‘La Roja’ showcased their formidable squad depth even without talismanic duo Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams. Both players are currently sidelined through injury, though coach Luis de la Fuente has guaranteed their availability for the tournament opener. While Peru utilised seven substitutes, the 2010 world champions rotated their entire squad; only goalkeeper Joan Garcia failed to see action. Raya featured for 45 minutes after replacing Unai Simon at the interval.
The Match
Luis de la Fuente’s men encountered minimal resistance from a Peru side led by Mano Menezes.
The deadlock was broken after just two minutes when Mikel Oyarzabal found the net with a clinical strike. Spain doubled their advantage in the 32nd minute as Pedri converted following a Ferran Torres assist, ensuring a commanding lead by half-time.
Spanish dominance persisted after the restart. In the 52nd minute, disaster struck for goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, who inadvertently turned the ball into his own net while attempting to cut out a cross from Pino. Peru did manage a late consolation through Jairo Velez, who produced a classy finish to round off the scoring.
Following the victory, the Spanish squad will return to their base in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to finalise their preparations for the finals.
Spain’s campaign officially gets underway on June 15th against Cape Verde, followed by further Group Stage encounters with Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.