Spain 10 Tahiti 0: Fernando Torres scored four times and missed a penalty as Spain cantered to a lopsided victory over Tahiti in the Confederations Cup.
There had been predictions that the World and European champions would reach double figures, but they only led 1-0 after half an hour before moving through the gears. David Villa had a hat-trick, David Silva scored twice and Juan Mata also netted as Spain went top of Group B ahead of Nigeria’s meeting with Uruguay.
It took Spain less than five minutes to take the lead as Torres exchanged a quick one-two with Mata and burst into the box from the left wing. The Chelsea striker then calmly sidefooted inside the near post of Mikael Roche.
The crowd were getting excited every time Tahiti made it out of their own half and were whipped into a frenzy as Steevy Chong Hue made a surging run forward and drew a foul from Raul Albiol.
Marama Vahirua stood over the free-kick but he could only put it into the wall. Tahiti had so far managed to hold their own but two goals in as many minutes just after the half-hour gave the scoreline the look many had been expecting.
First Villa played a beautiful ball from the edge of the D which Silva latched on to and calmly slotted home low with his left foot in the 31st minute. And just two minutes later it was 3-0 as Mata’s ball allowed Torres to break the offside trap, chip the ball over Roche and pass into the empty net.
Silva then returned the favour to Villa in the 39th minute as the Manchester City midfielder threaded a ball through and Villa took a single touch before firing past Roche.
It took just four second-half minutes for Spain to make it five as some clever build up saw Nacho Monreal square the ball to Villa who hammered home his second.
And eight minutes later Torres had his hat-trick as he converted from substitute Jesus Navas’ cross. Villa joined Torres with a treble in the 62nd minute as the Barcelona striker, who looked to be offside, ran on to a long ball over the top and passed into an open net when Roche came out but failed to gather.
Three minutes later it was eight as Mata played a one-two with Silva and fired under the body of Roche.
Spain were in autopilot now and were handed a penalty in the 78th minute as Ricky Aitamai handled Navas’ cross but Torres hit the bar with his spot-kick. He had his fourth and Spain’s ninth just a minute later, however, as he rounded Roche and slotted home.
Many had predicted that Spain would make it into double figures tonight and so it proved as Silva turned in the box and fired home, equalling Tahiti’s largest ever defeat which came against New Zealand in 2004 and setting new record for the competition, surpassing Brazil’s 8-2 win over Saudi Arabia in 1999.
