The Spanish national team reaffirmed their status as the reigning European champions with a convincing 3-1 victory over Peru in a friendly match at Estadio Cuauhtemoc, Mexico. The match was significant not only in terms of the score but also showcased the attacking prowess and tactical flexibility of coach Luis de la Fuente.
The explosive beginning of La Roja
The match was decided early on when Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring in less than 120 seconds. From a sharp through pass by young center-back Pau Cubarsi, Oyarzabal turned and fired a decisive shot from 25 meters. The powerful strike left goalkeeper Gallese completely helpless, giving Spain immediate dominance.
Spain's characteristic ball-possession style of play caused immense difficulties for the Peruvian players in organizing their defense. This dominance was concretized by the second goal in the 32nd minute. Ferran Torres broke down the right flank before crossing the ball past the entire opposing defense, creating an easy opportunity for Pedri to tap the ball in from close range.
Experimenting with formations and pragmatism.
In the second half, De la Fuente made a series of substitutions to test his personnel. Notably, David Raya replaced Unai Simon in goal. The introduction of Yeremy Pino also had an immediate effect when his tricky cross in the 53rd minute caused goalkeeper Gallese to awkwardly score an own goal, increasing the score to 3-0.
Despite being a significant loser, Peru persevered in their search for an equalizer and succeeded in the 66th minute. Taking advantage of a rare defensive error from Spain, Jairo Velez broke through and coolly finished past Raya after a delicate pass from Marcos Lopez. However, that was all the South American side could do against Spain's proactive defense in the final minutes.
In-depth analysis and match statistics
The most noteworthy tactical highlight was the almost perfect ball circulation and press-breaking ability of the midfield, featuring Rodri and Martin Zubimendi. Although the expected goals (xG) figures weren't significantly different (1.93 vs. 1.24), the pragmatism and class of the star players made all the difference.
| Parameter | Spain | Peru |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 3 | 1 |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 1.93 | 1.24 |
| Goal scorer | Oyarzabal (2'), Pedri (32'), Gallese (53' OG) | Jairo Velez (66') |
This victory is the perfect springboard for Spain before officially embarking on their 2026 World Cup journey with a clash against Cape Verde in a week's time. Their ability to control the midfield and the sharpness of their forwards are making De la Fuente's team one of the strongest contenders.