Spain Keeps Up Fast Start

The substitutes saved the day for Spain, carrying it into the next round of the World Cup.

Trailing Tunisia by a goal at halftime, Coach Luis Aragones brought in Spain’s all-time leading scorer, Raul Gonzalez, and Cesc Fabregas. And it paid off in a big way in a 3-1 win Monday at Stuttgart, Germany.

Raul tied the score when Tunisia goalkeeper Ali Boumnijel couldn’t hold Fabregas’ shot, and Fabregas set up Fernando Torres for Spain’s second goal five minutes later. Torres finished it off on a penalty kick in the last minute.

“The way Cesc and Raul interpreted the football we had to deliver was extraordinary. That’s why our second half was better than the first,” Aragones said after Spain clinched a spot in the next round.

“We had a lot of opportunities, but we did become a bit nervous after their goal.”

Spain, undefeated in 24 games under Aragones, is emerging as a serious candidate for the World Cup title after two straight wins, a goal difference of six, and its best start to a World Cup.

Tunisia had stunned Spain in the eighth minute when Jawhar Menari scored for a 1-0 lead.

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Switzerland 2, Togo 0 -- Switzerland’s precision carried it past Togo’s Team Turmoil at Dortmund, Germany, and closer to the second round of the World Cup.

With the victory, the Swiss tied South Korea atop Group G with four points and ended Togo’s bid for second-round play. Switzerland and South Korea play Friday, with one of them headed to the second round and possibly both.

Ludovic Magnin crossed the ball to Tranquillo Barnetta, whose pass was headed into the net by Switzerland’s star scorer, Alexander Frei, in the 16th minute. Barnetta scored a goal in the 88th for the Swiss, in their first World Cup since 1994.