Soccer-Dominant Spain Crush Costa Rica 3–0 in World Cup Group Opener

Soccer-Dominant Spain Crush Costa Rica 3–0 in World Cup Group Opener
Spain's Alexia Putellas and Alba Redondo celebrate after their victory versus Costa Rica in Group C of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World at Wellington Regional Stadium, in Wellington, New Zealand on July 21, 2023. Reuters/Amanda Perobelli
Reuters
Updated:
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WELLINGTON—Spain began their Women’s World Cup campaign in scintillating fashion by beating Costa Rica 3–0 in their Group C opener on Friday thanks to an own goal and first-half strikes from Aitana Bonmati and Esther Gonzalez at Wellington Regional Stadium.

The teams had played out a draw when they faced each other on their World Cup debuts in 2015 but Spain are now sixth in the women’s rankings and it showed in their technical and physical superiority as they scored three times in a six-minute blitz.