An Impressive Win for Spain
If Spain wants to lose its reputation as a World Cup underachiever, it’s off to a powerful start.
Spain routed struggling newcomer Ukraine, 4-0, Wednesday at Leipzig, Germany, a sizzling start to its search of a title after 11 futile, often disheartening attempts. David Villa scored twice and Fernando Torres capped the romp with a sensational goal off a series of passes.
As famous for its international flops as the finesse and flair of its game, Spain appears on the right track this time. It is on a 23-match unbeaten streak, all under Coach Luis Aragones -- a nice change for the nation whose checkered international soccer history has been one of perpetual disappointment.
While the Spaniards are making their eighth consecutive World Cup appearance, they have failed to reach the semifinals since posting their best result, a fourth-place finish in 1950.
“Historically speaking, it is correct we have never achieved at great tournaments, but if all together we show what we can do, I know we can be among the top teams at this tournament,” Aragones said. “At first I thought it was going to be more complicated, but the second goal made Ukraine more crestfallen and the rest was easier.”
Spain dominated from the start to the final whistle, accumulating 19 shots to Ukraine’s five.
“It’s painful to lose 4-0,” Ukraine Coach Oleh Blokhin said. “I’ve never lost 4-0. The players did not respect the advice of their coaches.
“On some occasions we were playing like the worst team in Europe.”
Saudi Arabia 2, Tunisia 2 -- With a sudden burst, Saudi Arabia was on the verge of erasing recent World Cup embarrassment. Then Tunisia spoiled its celebrations in the final seconds at Munich.
Rahdi Jaidi’s powerful header in stoppage time gave Tunisia a tie with Saudi Arabia in the only all-Arab match of the tournament. Just a few minutes earlier, in the 84th, Sami al-Jaber gave the Saudis a lead.
Al-Jaber, who retired from the national team, then was brought back for qualifying, had come into the game moments before. He has played in four World Cups and has scored in three.
Saudi Arabia Coach Marcos Paqueta had left Al-Jaber on the bench because the veteran was struggling with a thigh problem. But the 34-year-old showed his class at the first opportunity.
Tunisia pressed for the tie and got it on Jaidi’s header from six yards off a feed from the end line by Ziad Jaziri, who scored earlier.
Four years after an 8-0 humiliation against Germany in their opening game, goals from Yasser al-Qahtani and the veteran Al-Jaber put the Saudis in position for a victory -- and a bonus of $27,000 per player.
Then Tunisia struck for the tie. Jaidi, a hulking defender, pushed up and was unmarked in front of the middle of the goal to head in Jaziri’s pinpoint pass.
Each team has one point, behind Group H favorite Spain.
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Twelve-year men
By scoring as a substitute in Saudi Arabia’s 2-2 tie with Tunisia on Wednesday, Sami al-Jaber joined a short list of players who have scored in a World Cup game 12 years apart:
Pele, Brazil, 1958-70 (12 career Cup goals).
* Uwe Seeler, Germany, 1958-70 (9).
* Diego Maradona, Argentina, 1982-94 (8).
* Michael Laudrup, Denmark, 1986-98 (2).
* Sami al-Jaber, Saudi Arabia, 1994-2006 (3).
