Sport

Spain prove to have plenty in reserve

Saudi Arabia - 0 Spain - 1: It was a hot, soporific afternoon here and the Spanish largely produced football to match

Sean Ingle in Kaiserslautern
Sat Jun 24 2006 - 01:00

Saudi Arabia - 0 Spain - 1: It was a hot, soporific afternoon here and the Spanish largely produced football to match. Even so, they won at a canter to extend their unbeaten run to 25 games and finish on top of Group H with a maximum nine points.

With Luis Aragones making 11 changes to the side that beat Tunisia 3-1 on Monday, his team took time to gel. For the first 15 minutes Spain were content to prod the ball around. The Saudis, playing 4-5-1, looked happy to contain.

Gradually Spain found their pace and were opening up the Saudi defence. Joaquin and Jose Antonio Reyes were a constant menace down either flank. Only Spain's finishing let them down. Twice Joaquin set up Reyes, only for the Arsenal striker to shoot tamely into Mabrouk's Zaid arms. Cesc Fabregas played in David Albelda, whose thunderous shot was tipped around the post.

But after 36 minutes the breakthrough came. Reyes hit a inswinging free-kick, Juanito evaded his marker and headed into the top corner from 10 yards.

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Raul should have made it two when Zaid spilled Reyes' shot, but he seemed to stumble over the ball. The Spanish captain was largely anonymous, and produced only one moment of magic when he floated a shot just over the bar. He was replaced by David Villa at half-time.

After the interval the pattern continued for a while with Spain continuing to create chances. Joaquin jabbed one shot past the post then another just wide. To that point Zaid had had to make nine saves.

Spain began to wilt and the Saudis sensed they could snatch a draw - and they nearly did, too. Hussein Sulamani's shot was tipped around the post by Santiago Canizares. Then, 10 minutes from time, Saad Al-Harthi struck a shot over the bar.

The Spanish were whistled off the pitch by their fans but it matters little. They are in the second round.

Guardian Service

SUBSTITUTIONS

SAUDI ARABIA: Massad for Sulimani (81 mins), Al Temyat for Aziz (13 mins), Mouath for Al Jaber (68 mins). Subs not used: Al Anbar, Al Bahri, Al Daeyea, Al Qadi, Ameen, Khojah. Booked: Al Jaber, Al Temyat.

SPAIN: Torres for Reyes (69 mins), Xavi for Fabregas (66 mins), Villa for Raul (45 mins). Subs not used: Casillas, Pernia, Puyol, Luis Garcia, Alonso, Sergio Ramos, Senna, Pablo, Reina. Booked: Albelda, Reyes, Marchena.

Referee: Coffi Codjia (Benin).