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Tuesday, June 27, 2006Spain 1-3 France France struck twice in the last 10 minutes to see off Spain and set up a quarter-final meeting with Brazil. Spain went ahead through David Villa's superbly struck penalty after Lilian Thuram rashly fouled Ibanez Pablo. France soon equalised when Frank Ribery rounded Iker Casillas after he was found by Patrick Vieira's clever pass. With seven minutes to go Vieira powered in a header and with Spain pushing forward Zinedine Zidane broke clear for a solo effort in stoppage time. Zidane, who struggled in France's first two group games, looks to have finally found his rhythm, prompting and cajoling his teammates to victory just as he did during their successful 1998 campaign. France's victory also means Brazil will face their nemesis Zidane again, the player who scored twice against them in the 1998 World Cup final. An absorbing game offering two contrasting styles, with Spain pursuing a patient passing game while France adopted a more direct approach to try to utilise Thierry Henry's pace. Mariano Pernia went close with a dipping free-kick, though the Spain defender was soon on defensive watch as he courageously blocked a Zidane shot. While Pernia showed bravery, his defensive colleague Carles Puyol relied on athleticism to head back to Casillas to stop Zidane's pass reaching Henry. The Arsenal striker finally escaped the attentions of the Spain defence when he broke down the right and sent over an inviting cross that neither Vieira or Ribery could reach. Villa's penalty briefly stopped France in their tracks. Thuram was too eager to challenge Ibanez and Italian referee Roberto Rosetti had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Barthez guessed correctly, but Villa's shot - low and powerful - was unstoppable. Five minutes before the interval France equalised with a elegant goal as Vieira's quick pass released Ribery. Finishing has not been the Marseille's winger strongest point in France's group games, but Ribery's speed got him round Iker Casillas and his sidefooted finish eluded Pernia and Puyol as they tried to cover back. France's equaliser saw the game shift up a notch in intensity in the second half. Just as Vieira had released Ribery, Zidane did the same for Florent Malouda, whose lobbed effort drew a one-handed save from Casillas. Just past the hour Ribery skipped his way past Pernia, but he was unable to find a French player with his powerful cross. France's invigorating start to the second half prompted Spain coach Luis Aragones to make a double substitution as he brought on Luis Garcia and Sanchez Joaquin. With 12 minutes left Joaquin ghosted past Eri Abidal before firing a shot into the side netting. But it was France who found an extra gear in the last 10 minutes as first Vieira and then Zidane punished Spain. It was a deflected Zidane free-kick that Vieira headed in and France's captain applied the coup de grace with a run and powerful shot that gave Casillas no chance. The defeat was the first Spain had suffered under Aragones in 25 games since he took charge after Euro 2004. 
Monday, June 19, 2006Spain 3-1 Tunisia Teenager Cesc Fabregas came off the bench to guide Spain into the last 16. Tunisia had taken a surprise lead on eight minutes after Joahar Mnari beat Iker Casillas at the second attempt. But on 71 minutes Ali Boumnijel spilled Fabregas' shot allowing Raul to score, with the Arsenal midfielder then setting up a goal for Fernando Torres. The Atletico Madrid striker scored his third goal of the tournament when he won and scored a stoppage-time penalty, a spot-kick Boumnijel almost saved. The win sent Spain to the top of Group H with six points, though Tunisia still have a chance of qualifying. It was Spain coach Luis Aragones' decision to introduce Fabregas - the youngest Spanish player to appear in a World Cup - and striker Raul at the beginning of the second half that turned the game. Until then Tunisia had frustrated Spain, through some clever tactics as well as brave defending, masterminded by Bolton centre-back Radhi Jaidi. Indeed the North African side had taken the lead with their very first attack. It was a goal that owed everything to the persistence and skill of Zaid Jaziri, who after brushing past Carles Puyol, beat three other Spanish players before picking out the advancing Mnari. The Nuremberg midfielder's volley was parried by Iker Casillas, but Mnari made no mistake from the rebound. David Villa spearheaded Spain's attempts to pull level in the first half, going close with a free-kick and then releasing Torres with a clever pass. For a split second Torres glimpsed goal, before Hatem Trabelsi moved in to outmuscle the Atletico Madrid striker. As well as providing defensive cover, Trabelsi was just as keen to scamper forward to give Tunisia a useful attacking outlet on the right. Tunisia rode their luck at times - Luis Garcia flicking a header wide from Xavi's free-kick after the Liverpool forward had been fouled by Anis Ayari. Garcia's Liverpool team-mate flashed a long-range shot narrowly wide and on the stroke of half-time Ayari headed Xabi Alonso's header off the line. But Fabregas's arrival changed the game with the midfielder having an immediate impact, thumping a shot goalward that Boumnijel did well to beat away. Soon after Aragones went for broke, throwing on his third substitute as Real Betis winger Joaquin replaced Valencia striker David Villa. Joaquin provided the pass for a second Fabregas shot that set up Spain's equaliser, an effort Boumnijel was unable to hold, allowing Raul to score from close range. A rush of blood to the head by Boumnijel proved fatal to Tunisia's hopes of coming away with a point as Fabregas released Torres. Boumnijel was caught hopelessly out of position allowing Torres to flick the ball into the unguarded net. Late on Torres was fouled by Alaeddine Yahia as he jumped for the ball, though the Spain forward was slightly lucky to score with the penalty, a goal that means he is the World Cup's current top goalscorer.
Friday, June 16, 2006Spain 4-0 Ukraine Spain produced a super display to outclass a Ukraine side that played most of the second half with 10 men. Xabi Alonso headed Spain in front from a Xavi corner and David Villa doubled the lead with a free-kick that deflected past Olexandr Shovkovskiy. Vladislav Vashchuk was sent off for pulling back Fernando Torres and Villa added a third goal from the penalty. Spain saved their best for last when Fernando Torres finished off a sublime move by drilling home. It was a harsh welcome to the finals for World Cup new boys Ukraine who struggled as the temperatures again hit the 30C mark as the German heat-wave continued. Spain wasted no time in going straight at the debutants, with Torres and Villa showing why they were preferred up front to skipper Raul. The Ukraine defence looked like they did not know what had hit them as the front pair's direct running put them firmly on the back foot. Ukraine had already suffered a few scares when Alonso put Spain in front with his first international goal. Whether the ball came off his head or his shoulder was up for debate, but the way Spain celebrated indicated they were not too worried about the aesthetics of the goal. Four minutes later Ukraine's woes worsened when Villa's free-kick clipped the head of Andriy Rusol in the wall and deflected past Shovkovskiy. Rather than taking their foot off the gas, Spain were like a rampaging bull as the red shirts poured forward. At the other end little was going right for Ukraine. Andriy Shevchenko had given them a boost by being passed fit to start, but he was rarely a threat and one of his rare ventures into the Spanish area saw him tread on the ball. It took them 32 minutes to register a shot on goal, and even then it was a scuffed effort from Andriy Gusin that was easily gathered by Iker Casillas. Ukraine made two changes at the break but any hope of their new arrivals helping them change things around ended when Vashchuk was harshly dismissed. The defender battled back to try and prevent Torres from a clean strike on goal, but Swiss referee Massimo Busacca adjudged he had pulled Torres back and issued a red card and a penalty. Villa stepped up to score from the spot and the three points were effectively Spain's. The Ukraine battled on bravely with Andriy Voronin volleying just wide and substitute Serhiy Rebrov lashing their best chance of the game over the bar. But the last word fell to Spain, with Carles Puyol starting off a fantastic move from his own half. He carried on running and when the ball was played forward he headed into the path of Torres to drive home from the edge of the area. It capped off a thoroughly impressive performance from a country who so often fail to deliver at the World Cup finals.
Monday, June 12, 2006Possible lineup, could start without Raul: Spain coach Luis Aragones seems likely to name the team to play Ukraine without captain Raul Gonzalez in the lineup.The Real Madrid striker practiced with the presumed substitutes Monday afternoon while Aragones drilled 11 players likely to start in the Group H opener. The coach also fielded the lineup - including David Villa, Fernando Torres and Luis Garcia up front - in a training match Sunday.Xavi Hernandez, Xabi Alonso and Marcos Senna formed a three-man midfield, with Mariano Pernia, Carles Puyol, Pablo Ibanez and Sergio Ramos in defense.The players practiced one-touch passing and tested their shooting against goalkeeper Iker Casillas in Spain's last training session before leaving its World Cup camp for Wednesday's match in Leipzig.S pain is favored to win Group H, which also includes Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.
Thursday, June 08, 2006 Spain beat Croatia 2-1 Fernando Torres scored a late winner and Mariano Pernia equalised in Spain's 2-1 victory over Croatia in the teams' final World Cup warmup on Wednesday.Argentina-born left back Pernia made his international debut after replacing the injured Asier del Horno in the squad last week.He scored with a low free kick which took a deflection off Croatia's Igor Tudor in the 62nd minute. Torres, who had missed a 75th-minute penalty, avoided two defenders before firing a low, left-footed shot past goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa two minutes into injury time.Croatia took the lead in the 14th minute through an own-goal by Spain defender Pablo Ibanez.Spain's victory at Geneva stadium extended its undefeated run to 22 matches - 13 wins and nine draws - since coach Luis Aragones took charge after the team flopped in the European Championship two years ago. Fruitful changes Pernia's inclusion was one of seven changes Aragones made to the team which beat Egypt 2-0 on Saturday. Returning from injury for his 50th international appearance was right back Michel Salgado, while goalkeeper Pepe Reina replaced Iker Casillas. Another newcomer, right winger Joaquin Sanchez, spurned a clear chance in the first minute when he headed wide from David Villa's cross with Pletikosa stranded.
1 CASILLAS Iker (GK) 2 SALGADO Michel 3 PERNIA Mariano 4 MARCHENA Carlos 5 PUYOL Carlos 6 ALBELDA David 7 RAUL 8 XAVI 9 TORRES Fernando 10 REYES Jose Antonio 11 GARCIA Luis 12 LOPEZ Antonio 13 INIESTA 14 XABI ALONSO 15 RAMOS Sergio 16 MARCOS SENNA 17 JOAQUIN 18 FABREGAS Cesc 19 CANIZARES Santiago (GK) 20 JUANITO 21 VILLA David 22 PABLO 23 REINA Jose Manuel (GK)
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