Slovakia 0-5 Spain: Player ratings as La Roja move into last 16 of Euro 2020
By Ross Jackson
Spain booked their place in the last 16 of Euro 2020 with a convincing 5-0 win over Slovakia in Seville on Wednesday evening.
Luis Enrique's side should have taken the lead with just 12 minutes on the clock after they were awarded an early penalty. Martin Dubravka did well to palm Alvaro Morata's spot kick away, but the Newcastle man turned from hero to villain just 20 minutes later.
After Pablo Sarabia had struck the crossbar with a decent effort, the ball bounced into their air. Dubravka tried to touch it over the frame of the goal for a corner, yet instead ended up just throwing it into his own net.
Enrique's men doubled their lead on the stroke of half time as Gerard Moreno did brilliantly to chip the ball back to Aymeric Laporte, allowing the Manchester City man to head home his first goal for Spain.
The game was ended as a contest early in the second half as Jordi Alba's low cross was swept home by Sarabia, before substitute Ferran Torres made an immediate impact with a lovely flicked finish to make it 4-0 to Spain.
Enrique's side were threatening to produce a cricket score as Pau Torres' effort was bumbled into his own net by Juraj Kucka, though Slovakia managed to 'hold on' to the 5-0 defeat to avoid any further embarrassment.
Let's get to those Slovakia and Spain player ratings...
SLOVAKIA PLAYER RATINGS
1. Goalkeeper & defenders
Martin Dubravka (GK) - 3/10 - The Newcastle goalkeeper did well to keep out the early penalty but his own goal was fantastically bad. Was just as poor for the second as he went walkabouts before Laporte headed home. Shipping five in a major international tournament is something he'll certainly never forget.
Peter Pekarik (RB) - 5/10 - Found himself going backwards whenever he was on the ball which didn't help his side at all.
Milan Skriniar (CB) - 5/10 - Couldn't contain the Spain front three and just found himself chasing shadows at times. His side needed a big performance if they were to keep Spain out and he didn't really turn up.
Lubomir Satka (CB) - 5/10 - Didn't look particularly convincing early on and once he realised Dubravka was having one of those days he looked even more suspect.
Tomas Hubocan (LB) - 6/10 - Tried to get forward down the Slovakia left to help out the attack but was thwarted by Cesar Azpilicueta every time.
2. Midfielders
Jakub Hromada (DM) - 5/10 - Couldn't get near the likes of Koke and Pedri and will probably have been glad to be hooked at half time.
Juraj Kucka (DM) - 5/10 - Guilty of scoring the second own goal of the game but to be honest Slovakia had all but given up by the time he made it 5-0 to Spain.
Lukas Haraslin (RM) - 4/10 - Saw barely any of the ball and seemed to accept his side's fate and give up halfway through the second half before being hauled off.
Marek Hamsik (AM) - 4/10 - Might as well have been sat at home watching the game for the majority of the match. Anonymous display from their talisman.
Robert Mak (LM) - 5/10 - Offered very little going forward, though he did at least do his best track the surging runs of Azpilicueta.
3. Forwards
Ondrej Duda (ST) - 5/10 - Did his best to chase down lost causes but found himself growing increasingly isolated as the game wore on.
4. Substitutes
Michal Duris (ST) - 5/10
Stanislav Lobotka (CM) - 6/10
Vladimir Weiss (RM) - 5/10
Tomas Suslov (AM) - 6/10
Laszlo Benes (CM) - N/A
SPAIN PLAYER RATINGS
5. Goalkeeper & defenders
Unai Simon (GK) - 6/10 - Given next to nothing to do other than knock the ball out to his defence. One of the quietest games he's likely to have in his career.
Cesar Azpilicueta (RB) - 6/10 - The Chelsea man started to enjoy himself once Spain had taken a grip on the game and his darting runs down the right-hand side provided a great outlet.
Eric Garcia (CB) - 6/10 - Couldn't have asked for a much easier first appearance in the tournament. Basically spent the entire game just playing it between himself and Laporte with the occasional pass into midfield.
Aymeric Laporte (CB) - 7/10 - Took his goal beautifully as he looped the ball over the stranded Dubravka. Very much the same as his centre-back partner, might as well have been scored 'N/A'.
Jordi Alba (LB) - 6/10 - Didn't see much of him in the first half as an attacking force but popped up with a nice assist as Spain put the game to bed early in the second half.
6. Midfielders
Pedri (CM) - 7/10 - Continued to spread the ball about nicely and helped to open up the game. The youngster has effortlessly stepped up to the level needed at a major international tournament and he looks a quality prospect.
Sergio Busquets (CM) - 7/10 - The Barcelona midfielder's first start of the tournament. Helped take the burden from Pedri in terms of having someone else in the midfield who plays progressive football.
Koke (CM) - 6/10 - Nice and neat in the midfield but was rarely under any sort of pressure and seemed to have the freedom of the pitch whenever he was on the ball.
7. Forwards
Pablo Sarabia (RW) - 6/10 - Had a glorious chance to open the scoring after 20 minutes but somehow failed to make contact with the ball. Eventually got his goal with a nice finish.
Alvaro Morata (ST) - 5/10 - Never really looked like he trusted his own ability when he stepped up to take the penalty. Did show some good hold-up play with his back to goal but not enough from him once again.
Gerard Moreno (LW) - 6/10 - Did superbly to beat Dubravka to the ball and hook it back towards Laporte to head home. Will be disappointed not to have got on the scoresheet given Slovakia's shaky defence.
8. Substitutes
Ferran Torres (RW) - 7/10 - Made an immediate impact with a lovely flicked finish.
Thiago Alcantara (CM) - 6/10
Pau Torres (CB) - 7/10 - Almost replicated Torres but the goal looks to have been credited to Kucka.
Adama Traore (RW) - 6/10
Mikel Oyarzabal (LW) - 6/10