Luxembourg vs Spain. European Championship Qualifying Group C.
Josy Barthel StadiumAttendance8,500.
Monday 13 October 2014 09:44, UK
Diego Costa needed his fair share of prompts to belatedly open his goalscoring account for Spain in a 4-0 European Championship qualifying victory over Luxembourg.
The Brazil-born striker kept a low profile at the World Cup finals after switching his national allegiance, and Spain fans watched him toil in vain throughout Thursday's shock Group C loss in Slovakia.
He fluffed countless chances to notch in the first half, with David Silva and Paco Alcacer instead stepping up to relieve some of the early pressure with a goal apiece.
Yet Costa would register his first Spain goal in scruffy fashion on 69 minutes and there was even time for debutant Juan Bernat - the Bayern Munich defender - to score a fourth from the bench.
It was also a night to remember for Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea, who could celebrate keeping a clean sheet at the Stade Josy Barthel after being handed a starting berth ahead of Real Madrid's Iker Casillas.
After the embarrassment of last week's defeat, the stage was set for Spain to make amends with a goal glut that would lead to a comfortable triumph.
Secondary to that mission was the quest to help Costa break his duck in Spanish colours.
The Chelsea hotshot has been scoring goals for fun in the Barclays Premier League but not managed failed to open his account for La Roja in six previous appearances.
How he failed to do so in the first 45 minutes in Luxembourg will remain a mystery.
His first effort, a searing sighter from distance, sent Jonathan Joubert sprawling across his goalmouth and the former Atletico Madrid forward followed that up by fizzing the ball wide from an excellent position.
In the 21st minute he loped into the box from the wing before scooping his finish over the bar and three minutes later his curling attempt found its way into Joubert's gloves.
Silva took the focus off his frustrated team-mate by notching the first goal on 27 minutes.
After moving swiftly down the right wing, the Manchester City playmaker cut inside before guiding the ball home with his left boot.
Play resumed and Costa quickly drilled a snapshot straight into defender Chris Philipps.
Alcacer then stepped up to assist his strike partner, first missing the mark from the centre of the box before rattling home the second goal having been set up by Silva.
Luxembourg enjoyed a rare moment of promise when play resumed after the break, Maxime Chanot sweeping up Mathias Janisch's corner to thump the ball wide of a post.
In the 69th minute it was finally time for Costa to break his duck.
The goal itself was not particularly memorable - Costa was simply in the right spot to tuck the ball home after Marc Bartra failed to find a way past the unprotected Joubert.
With the result now secure, coach Vicente del Bosque threw the uncapped duo of Valencia striker Rodrigo and Bayern left-back Bernat into the fray as substitutes.
The switch paid dividends in the 88th minute as the former Los Che team-mates combined well in the box before the Bundesliga player managed to turn the ball home.
