ISCO’S stunning double and substitute Alvaro Morata’s late clincher destroyed Italy as Spain sparkled in this top-of-the-table World Cup qualifier.
Real Madrid midfielder Isco dazzled and dominated, firing home a top-corner free-kick on 13 minutes and bettering that with a precision finish just before the interval.
Then £70million Chelsea striker Morata pounced from close range in the 77th minute, shortly after replacing Andres Iniesta, and even had a scoring header disallowed for offside.
Victory left Spain three points clear in Group G after these two giants of the world game had both entered the match on 16 points from six games.
Outplayed Italy often left their forwards isolated.
But Torino frontman Andrea Belotti summed up his below-par night by missing two clear chances.
The Azzurri, though, werre just as disappointing in mid-pitch, where they rarely got close to the scintillating Isco.
And Spain are now overwhelming favourites to win the group, while Italy are facing the play-offs.
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Julen Lopetegui’s fluent Spaniards take on bottom side Liechtenstein on Tuesday, before playing third-placed Albania on October 6 and Isreal three days later.
Spain are now unbeaten at home in World Cup qualifiers for 60 years.
Meanwhile, Italy’s last three matches are against Israel, Macedonia and Albania.
Boss Gian Piero Ventura will still expect the Azzurri to qualify for next year’s finals in Russia, even if only in the play-offs.
But on this form Spain are a useful tip to win the tournament and Italy have work to do all over the pitch.
Isco was replaced to a standing ovation in the final minute, as the Spaniards still poured forward.
And it was perhaps fitting that replacing him, for his international return, was veteran David Villa.
Because Isco's form suggests he could make the same impact in Russia that the ex-Barcelona playmaker made when Spain won the 2010 World Cup.
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