Morientes hits hat-trick as Spain beat Ecuador 4-0

Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes helped himself to a hat-trick as Spain strolled their way to a confident 4-0 win over Ecuador in an entertaining friendly international at the Vicente Calderon on Wednesday.

Winger Javi de Pedro gave Spain the lead after 15 minutes when his 20-metre free kick bobbled under the wall and wrong-footed keeper Jose Cevallos after taking a deflection off defender Ivan Hurtado.

Morientes, who has spent most of his time on the bench at Real since the arrival of Ronaldo, then grabbed two quick-fire goals to make it 3-0 after just 23 minutes.

His first came when he dispossessed and then turned back inside defender Augusto Poroso on the edge of the area before guiding past Cevallos with a neat left-foot shot.

Two minutes later he claimed his second when he got his foot to the ball after De Pedro had swept in a curling pass behind the Ecuador defence.

Ecuador threatened with some promising attacking play towards the end of the first half, but were unable to get the ball in the net and it was Morientes who popped up again after the break to wrap up an easy win for the home side.

The centre forward raced on to a through ball from midfielder Juan Carlos Valeron, rounded the keeper and then scuffed his shot into the far corner to bring his total to 20 goals in 28 international matches.