Pedro Rodríguez's first professional hat-trick earned FIFA World Cup holders Spain a commanding victory away to Belarus.

It was one-way traffic throughout at the Dinamo Stadion from the moment Jordi Alba broke the deadlock on 12 minutes. Yet it was FC Barcelona team-mate Pedro who took the headlines, following up a goal midway through the first half with two more midway through the second. Such was Spain's dominance, he ought to have scored a fourth.

The visitors wasted no time finding their stride in Minsk. Cesc Fàbregas almost broke the deadlock inside two minutes from close range and David Silva fluffed his lines after being sent through one-on-one with goalkeeper Sergei Veremko. It mattered not as Alba soon made it 1-0, applying the finishing touch to his surging run into the box with a well-placed shot.

Pedro claimed the assist but that was the last of him waiting in the wings as he quickly moved to centre stage. He doubled the advantage on 21 minutes, getting the better of Veremko after gathering a Silva through ball. It was the cue for Vicente Del Bosque's men to take their foot off the gas, almost fatally as Iker Casillas was forced into action by Vitali Rodionov.

Spain upped their game after the restart, setting up camp in the Belarus half. Pedro was the chief beneficiary, converting passes from Xavi Hernández and Cesc Fàbregas within the space of three second-half minutes. He could have made it 5-0 but missed after substitute David Villa's shot had come back off the upright.

Spain will nevertheless go into Tuesday's home game against France in supreme confidence; Belarus host Georgia still seeking their first points in Group I.