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Friday, June 21, 2013

Confederations Cup - Torres hits four as Spain maul plucky Tahiti

Confederations Cup Group B, Maracana .

Spain 10 (Torres 5', 33', 57', 78', Villa 39', 49', 64', Silva 31', 89', Mata 66') - Tahiti 0


Spain hit double figures in their Confederations Cup Group B clash against minnows Tahiti in a 10-0 win at the Maracana with Fernando Torres helping himself to four goals.
The world and European champions produced a professional performance against the Oceania minnows to set a new record winning scoreline for this competition at the fabled venue in Rio de Janeiro.
It also equalled Tahiti's heaviest-ever defeat after they lost to New Zealand by the same scoreline in 2004.
Torres (5,33, 57, 78), David Villa (39,49, 64), David Silva (31, 89) and Juan Mata (66) were the other Spain scorers as they continued their march towards the last four of the tournament after a 2-1 win over Uruguay in their opening game.
Spain only pick up one goal in the opening 33 minutes, but the floodgates began to open when Tahiti tired in the heat of the final hour as their opponents kept the ball with some relish.
Torres also knocked a penalty off the bar and over seconds before he rounded the eccentric Tahiti goalkeeper Mikael Roche for his country's ninth goal of the evening.
A crowd of over 70,000 were firmly behind Tahiti - a country with a population of only 170,000 and consisting of several part-time players - after their 6-1 loss to Nigeria in their opening match of the tournament, but they rarely threatened the Spanish goal.
They never lacked heart, but Spain clicked into gear by running in three goals before the half-time whistle.


Torres beat the goalkeeper at the near post for the opening goal as his mishit shot eluded Roche.
Vincente del Bosque's side slotted their second when Silva passed the ball into the net from Villa's pass for a 2-0 lead.
Torres then rounded Roche for the third before Villa converted with ease from a Silva pass.
With Tahiti playing a high line and struggling to garner any possession, Villa made it five from Nacho Monreal's cross ball early in the second half.
Torres swept his hat-trick into the gaping net from Villa's cutback for a 6-0 lead with Villa helping himself to a simple seventh after Roche had come off his line only to miss the loose ball.
Mata cut through several defenders to hammer the ball through the legs of Roche to make it eight with Torres atoning for his penalty miss by dragging the ball past Roche to finish for number nine.
With minutes left on the clock, Silva turned to swipe a shot into the corner of the net from substitute Jesus Navas's pass as Spain declared on 10 for the night.
Spain will make sure of their place in the last four with a win over Nigeria on Sunday as Tahiti bow out of the tournament against Uruguay.
Spain's biggest win remains their 13-0 friendly win over Bulgaria in 1933. Their biggest competitive victory was 12-1 over Malta in 1983.
They could have scored more on the night here, but Del Bosque will have been happy to make use of his full squad in what was nothing more than a training session.
MAN OF THE MATCH
David Silva - Tormented the part-timers with his vision. Could have scored more than two. Not that it mattered greatly.
MATCHCAST: FULL COMMENTARY AND PLAYER RATINGS
PLAYER RATINGS
Spain: Reina 6, Azpilicueta 7, Albiol 7, Sergio Ramos 6, Monreal 6, Cazorla 6, Javi Martinez 6, Silva 8, Mata 8, Torres 7, Villa 8..subs: Iniesta 6, Fabregas 6, Jesus Navas 6
Tahiti: Roche 6, Aitamai 6, Jonathan Tehau 6, Vallar 6, Ludivion 6, Lemaire 6, Vahirua 6, Bourebare 6, Caroine 6, Alvin Tehau 6, Chong Hue 7..subs: Teaonui Tehau 6, Lorenzo Tehau 6, Vero 6

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