\n
\nAMMAN: Ansu Fati made the most of his chance back with Spain\u2019s national team, scoring a goal and showing he is in great form in La Roja\u2019s 3-1 win over Jordan in a World Cup warmup on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\nPortugal, without Cristiano Ronaldo, saw Bruno Fernandes shine in a 4-0 win over Nigeria in their final match before the World Cup.<\/p>\n
\nFati teamed up well with some of the other youngsters giving Spain hope of a successful campaign in Qatar, with Gavi Paez and Nico Williams also scoring a goal each in the team\u2019s final match before its World Cup opener against Costa Rica on Nov. 23.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThat\u2019s some great news for us,\u201d Spain coach Luis Enrique said of Fati\u2019s performance. \u201cHe has a good relationship with the goal.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nFati scored on a shot from inside the area in the 13th minute before Gavi doubled the lead from near the penalty spot in the 56th. Williams, who replaced Fati in the 72nd, made it 3-0 with a cross shot from inside the box in the 84th.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI liked what I see from the team,\u201d Luis Enrique said. \u201cI see it with the right attitude. Sometimes, when you play a friendly so close to the World Cup, you don\u2019t play a good match, because the players are so focused on the World Cup, but everything went well and now we can start preparing for Costa Rica.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nLuis Enrique had some high praise for Marco Asensio, who set up Fati\u2019s goal.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cHe was at a different level,\u201d the coach said of Asensio, who played as a striker in the absence of \u00c1lvaro Morata.<\/p>\n
\nHamza Al-Dardour scored for Jordan in second-half stoppage time at Amman International Stadium in Jordan.<\/p>\n
\nFati had not played for Spain since making his fourth appearance as a teenager in October 2020, shortly after breaking the record for Spain\u2019s youngest scorer. He had not been called up by coach Luis Enrique in the last international break before the World Cup, when the 20-year-old forward was not playing often with Barcelona.<\/p>\n
\nHe is one of the many youngsters selected by Luis Enrique to Spain\u2019s revamped squad, along with 19-year-old Pedri Gonzalez, 20-year-old Williams, and 18-year-old Gavi, who had broken Fati\u2019s record by scoring his first goal for Spain at the age of 17 years, 304 days.<\/p>\n
\nAfter the Group E opener against Costa Rica, Spain face Germany in one of the most-anticipated matches of the tournament and then take on Japan.<\/p>\n
\nLuis Enrique couldn\u2019t count on Jose Luis Gay\u00e0 because of a right ankle injury sustained in Wednesday\u2019s training session. Also not available for Thursday\u2019s match were Morata, Hugo Guillamon and Marcos Llorente, who had not been fully fit and missed practice at the start of Spain\u2019s preparations.<\/p>\n
\nLuis Enrique said a decision on whether Gay\u00e0 will remain with the squad is expected to be made on Friday.<\/p>\n
\nFERNANDES THRIVES<\/strong><\/p>\n\nFernandes scored twice in the first half to lead Portugal to an easy victory over Nigeria in Lisbon.<\/p>\n
\nGon\u00e7alo Ramos and Jo\u00e3o Mario added second-half goals for the Portuguese squad that was without Ronaldo because of a stomach bug that had already made him miss training on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\nEmmanuel Dennis missed a late penalty kick for Nigeria.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIt was a very complete game,\u201d Fernandes said. \u201cWe know we have a very capable team and we showed it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nPortugal open their quest for a first World Cup title against Ghana on Nov. 24. They then face \u00a0Uruguay and South Korea in Group H.<\/p>\n
\nOTHER WARMUPS<\/strong><\/p>\n\nGhana, back at the World Cup after missing out at the tournament in Russia, defeated Switzerland 2-0 in Abu Dhabi with second-half goals by Mohammed Salisu and Antoine Semenyo.<\/p>\n
\nGhana is in Group H with Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay. Its opener is against Portugal on Nov. 24.<\/p>\n
\nSwitzerland, playing in their fifth straight World Cup, debut in Group G against Cameroon on Nov. 24, then faces Brazil and Serbia.<\/p>\n
\nCanada, back in the World Cup after 36 years, came from behind to defeat Japan 2-1 in Dubai with Lucas Cavallini scoring the winner by converting a penalty kick deep into second-half stoppage time.<\/p>\n
\nJapan had opened the scoring with Yuki Soma less than 10 minutes into the match. Steven Vitoria equalized in the 21st for Canada, which is in Group F with Belgium, Croatia and Morocco. It debuts against Belgium on Nov. 23. Japan opens against Germany in Group E before facing Costa Rica and Spain.<\/p>\n
\nCosta Rica\u2019s warmup against Iraq was canceled because of a dispute with Iraq officials related to the entrance of Costa Rican players into the country.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n
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