Arsenal’sย Mikel Merino scored a hat trick as European champions Spain maintained their 100 percent start to World Cup qualifying with an emphatic 6-0 win in Turkey.
Pedri got on the scoresheet twice and Ferran Torres also found the net in a blistering display by Luis De La Fuente’s side in Sunday’s Group E encounter in Konya.
Victory could have been even more convincing but for a number of saves by Turkey goalkeeper Ugurcan รakir, who was kept busy throughout.
It was another strong statement by Spain, who opened their campaign with a 3-0 win in Bulgaria last Thursday.
“I’m very happy with everything, with winning, getting six points out of six, doing it in such a convincing way and with scoring three goals, it’s the first hat trick of my career,” Merino said after the match. “It’s a facet I’ve been improving, taking that step forward, it’s important for midfielders to score goals and to help the team. Since last year I’m playing in more advanced positions. I’m very happy.
“[My teammates] are signing the ball right now, there’ve been a lot of jokes, they know it isn’t normal for me to score a hat trick.”
Hakan รalhanoglu had an early chance for Turkey but Unai Simรณn saved and the game proved one-way traffic in Spain’s favour thereafter.
Cakir’s first action came after five minutes when he denied Nico Williams and Pedri in quick succession.
He was beaten soon after as Pedri swerved past a defender and bent a low shot through a crowded area and inside the far post but then saved from Robin Le Normand and Lamine Yamal.
Spain doubled the lead after 22 minutes from a dazzling move which started with some fine interplay between Marc Cucurella and Pedri on the left.
A series of intricate passes involving Williams and Mikel Oyarzabal followed before Merino turned in his first.
Yamal should have added another when he blazed the ball over and Williams forced another save from Cakir.
Spain’s third came in first-half stoppage-time as Pedri played a one-two with Oyarzabal and then pulled the ball back for Merino to tuck away.
“It was a complete game. From the start we had the intensity we needed,” Pedri said. “We knew it would be difficult, they’d put pressure on us, we’d have to be strong from the start, and we were. We were superior.
“I’m happy with the victory, and happy to help the team with my goals, but that’s secondary.”
Torres made it 4-0 — eight minutes into the second half — with a clinical finish after a swift counter-attack involving Pedri and Yamal.
Merino then completed his treble four minutes later, with a superb curling effort from 20 yards after Spain had again broken from deep.
Spain seized possession to grab their sixth just after the hour following another swift breakaway.
Oyarzabal wrong-footed the defence with a weaving run before slipping in Pedri, who made no mistake in front of goal.
Turkey’s frustration showed when Real Madrid’s Arda Gรผler got involved in a confrontation with Barcelona youngster Yamal as he prepared to take a free kick.
The game became scrappy in the closing stages as Spain saw out the victory.
Guler pushed for a Turkey consolation but had three long-range efforts blocked, while Kerem Aktรผrkoglu also failed to find a way through and Orkun Kรถkรงรผ fired over.
