Spain 3-0 Turkey: Alvaro Morata answers critics with double as holders run riot in Nice to book their place in the last 16
- Alvaro Morata heads Nolito's cross into the top corner to give Spain the lead with 34 minutes gone at Stade de Nice
- Spain doubled their lead just three minutes later when Nolito finished neatly after Mehmet Topal's poor header
- Morata grabbed his second less than three minutes after half-time, finishing off an excellent Spain move
- Spain's second win at Euro 2016 means they qualify for knockout stages after Croatia's draw with Czech Republic
DAILY MAIL
On a day when sickening violence and brutality cast its shadow over Euro 2016 once again, it was left to the artists of Spain to remind us just how beautiful this game can be.
Some may question if this Spanish team matches up to their European champions of 2008 and 2012, and they were far from convincing in an opening Group D victory over the Czech Republic.
But as the tournament was subjected to another depressing display of hooliganism courtesy of Croatia, Vicente Del Bosque’s side demonstrated in emphatic fashion that they will not be giving up their title easily as they recorded the biggest win of the finals so far to coast into the last 16.
Alvaro Morata celebrates scoring the first of his two goals in in Spain's 3-0 victory over Group D rivals Turkey on Friday night
Spain celebrate their third goal which sealed victory and their place in the knockout stages when Morata (left) finished a fine move
Celta Vigo winger Nolito (second from right) celebrates after adding a second for the holders just three minutes after Morata's opener
Spain captain Sergio Ramos receives a yellow card after just two minutes for a barge on Turkey striker Burak Yilmaz
Juventus striker Morata takes a strike on goal early in the first half as Turkey No 6 Hakan Calhanoglu looks on in the first half
Gerard Pique stretches to win a header against Turkey full back Caner Erkin during the Group D game at the Stade de Nice
Real Madrid defender Ramos climbs on Gokhan Gonul before Ozan Tufan (right) head the ball away during the first half
Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas (centre) is crowded out by Topal (left) and Calhanoglu during the Group D game in Nice
MATCH FACTS
‘It is always difficult to compare teams with the title winners of 2008 and 2012,’ said Del Bosque afterwards.
‘Some of the best Spanish footballers have retired since. Each tournament has its truth. The ideal in every game is to quickly make our mark and my players understand that very well. We’re not worried.’
Monday will mark the 12th anniversary since Spain last lost in the Euros, against hosts Portugal in 2004.
It is now 14 games unbeaten, not to mention 11 hours and 30 minutes without conceding a goal, a tournament record.
It is a remarkable achievement, and one that Spain never looked likely to blemish in Nice on Friday night.
Del Bosque’s side were at their majestic best. At the heart of it again was Andres Iniesta, a veteran of those two successful campaigns who is still weaving his magic at the age of 32.
He has walked away from both the opening games with the man of the match award, and no-one is arguing.
Iniesta’s pass was the highlight of the best move of the match, probably the tournament so far, which saw his side wrap up victory just three minutes into the second half.
Nine of the 10 red shirts on the pitch touched the ball before it ended up in the back of Volkan Babacan’s net.
But it was Iniesta’s piercing ball through the ranks of Turkish defenders that picked out Jordi Alba, possibly half a yard offside, who squared it for Alvaro Morata to tap home his second goal of the night.
Turkey fans became the latest set of supporters to set off flares inside the tournament's stadiums during their side's 3-0 defeat
Fenerbahce defender Topal skips away from the sliding challenge of Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets in the first half
Bayern Leverkusen midfielder Calhanoglu hits a curling free-kick which whistled just over the Spanish crossbar
Turkey midfielder Oguzhan Ozyakup takes a strike from distance with the scores level at 0-0 during the first 45 minutes in Nice
Morata missed opportunities against the Czech Republic but answered his critics when his 35th minute header found the top corner
Morata coolly slides on his knees at the corner flag after perfectly deflecting Nolito's cross from the left past Babacan
The Juventus striker, who has been linked with a move to Arsenal, is mobbed by his team-mates after opening the scoring
After setting up Morata, Nolito then latched on to a poor defensive header by Topal just two minutes later to make it 2-0
The skilful forward finished neatly after the ball fell kindly to him from a poor defensive header by Turkey's Mehmet Topal
Morata had been substituted in the opening game and criticised afterwards.
There were even calls for him to be dropped. But he also grabbed Spain’s first goal as the reigning champions struck twice in four minutes before half-time to take the game away from Turkey.
Nolito swung in a cross from the left towards the Juventus striker who had drifted away from Mehmet Topal, and Morata met it with a stylish header to guide the ball beyond Babacan in the 34th minute.
‘They said the strikers weren’t scoring, but things were good in this match,’ said Morata.
‘There’s a wonderful atmosphere, we get on very well and you can see that on the pitch.
The most important thing now is that we don’t think about being the favourites.’
If the first goal was more direct than usual by Spain’s standards, the second involved more incisive passing as Turkey’s midfield was carved open again.
The Celta Vigo forward wheels away in celebration after doubling the holders' lead as Atletico Madrid defender Juanfran looks on
Morata jumps on Nolito's back as the goalscoring pair celebrate with veteran goalkeeper Iker Casillas after Spain's second goal
Andres Iniesta (centre) drives forward with the ball under pressure from Turkey's Gokhan Gonul at the end of the fist half
Morata finished off an excellent Spain move just two minutes into the second half, putting Jordi Alba's cross pass through Babacan's legs
The Juventus striker (right) became the joint top scorer in the tournament by notching his second goal of the game in Nice
Spain celebrate a fine team move that saw Iniesta thread a pass through to overlapping full back Alba who picked out Morata
Turkey's dejected players lead by captain Arda Turan (front) walk back to their positions after Spain's third goal goes in
Cesc Fabregas clipped a pass over the top of their defence and Topal’s header only helped it on to Nolito who dragged the ball wide of the helpless Babacan.
‘We conceded two goals by making individual mistakes,’ said Turkey coach Fatih Terim. ‘One of them was unbelievable. After the third goal we fell apart.
‘But I congratulate Spain. They’re a very important team, a special team.’
Burak Yilmaz wasted a late chance to pull one back, and then substitute Cesar Azpilicueta got across to block Olcay Sahan’s effort when he looked certain to go through and score.
Another clean sheet, another win. Spain marched imperiously on.
Turkey striker Yilmaz protests his innocence after a clash leaves Barcelona team-mates Pique and Busquets piled up on the ground
Turkey players Yilmaz, Turan and Oguzhan argue with Serbian referee Milorad Mazic during their Group D defeat by Spain
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