Perennial under-achievers Spain kick-started their bid to top Group H with a blast on Wednesday with a resounding 4-0 win over World Cup debutants Ukraine.
With Spanish icon Raul starting on the bench, Valencia marksman David Villa took centre stage for Luis Aragones’s side with a goal in each half.
Liverpool’s Xabi Alonso scored Spain’s opener before the quarter-hour mark, while Fernando Torres capped the scoring with a goal in the closing stages to produce the biggest winning margin in the tournament so far.
Ukraine, who were virtually non-existent in the first half, looked livelier in the second, but Oleg Blokhin’s men will now be going back to the drawing board.
In the early stages Spain came close through Luis Garcia and Villa before Alonso opened their account when he fought his way through the Ukrainian defence to head home in the 13th minute.
Ukraine keeper Oleksandr Shovkovskyi would have little respite throughout the game.
Barely five minutes later Villa stepped up to score from a free kick, which took a wicked deflection from a Ukrainian head before leaving the ‘keeper stranded.
Blokhin had decided to play star striker Andriy Shevchenko despite an apparent lack of match fitness, but the new Chelsea striker’s class was conspicuously absent as Spain dominated.
Spain were unlucky not to have led by more after the first half.
A long-range curling drive by Brazilian-born midfielder Marcos Senna was tipped over the bar by Shovkovskyi after he had stepped around the Ukrainian defence.
Villa and Torres then enjoyed several chances each to score, with Villa almost putting Spain 3-0 up in the 44th minute after he held off a marking defender to test Shovkovskyi from close range.
Ukraine made two changes for the start of the second half, however despite a brief foray into the Spain area their luck ran out when Torres was pulled down as he ran down on goal, although TV replays showed little contact.
Vashchuk was given his marching orders, and Villa made no mistake from the spot despite Shovkovskyi getting a slight touch on the ball.
Villa, having doubled his international goals account for Spain in barely 45 minutes, was replaced by Raul shortly after his successful penalty.
As he walked off the pitch, it was clear he was soaking up the party atmosphere as the red and yellow sections of the stadium sang ”Viva Espana”.
Aragones, who is bidding to lead Spain past the quarterfinal stage for the first time in 56 years, will now look to rest key players whenever possible, and he also replaced Alonso with Valencia midfielder David Albelda.
On the hour mark Ukraine were given a glimmer of hope when a scramble for the ball on the edge of Spain’s area gave Andriy Voronin a chance at goal.
However, with Iker Casillas beaten, his impressive curling drive edged inches past the right-hand post.
Raul also came close in the 68th minute after he rose to meet a superb cross from Mariano Pernia, but his powerful header went straight to Shovkovskyi.
Torres then capped the goal scoring for Spain when he ran on to a through ball to beat the stricken keeper with an unstoppable shot just inside the area in the 81st minute. — AFP
