Spain vs Honduras – Match Review
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Spain has answered its critics with a clinical 2-0 victory against Honduras at the Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg.
A goal on either side of half-time by influential striker, David Villa, killed off the Central Americans, who offered little up front despite the return of commanding forward, David Suazo.
Immediately from the outset, Villa and Fernando Torres were combining brilliantly up front creating chances for each other in the first twenty minutes; and indeed, it was Villa who was unlucky not to open the scoring in the sixth minute when his powerful long-range strike clattered against the crossbar, with Honduran ’keeper, Noel Valladares, well beaten.
Villa didn’t have to wait long for his elusive goal though.
On the 17th minute, the latest Barcelona signing received the ball down the left channel and while he was hemmed up against the line, Villa galloped into the box beating three defenders before cutting inside and scoring high within the far post.
Torres on the other hand was looking a little rusty despite seemingly overcoming a troublesome knee injury.
He spurned two chances in two minutes when in excellent positions to score – the first chance with his head; the second with his typically trusty right boot.
More one-way traffic ensued in the second half, and the game was put beyond doubt for the Hondurans on the 51st minute as Spain produced a beautifully-worked goal on the counter.
Xavi surged through midfield laying it out to the right for Jesus Navas to expectedly shape in a cross.
Instead, he cut the ball back to Villa, with the Spanish frontman grabbing his second from outside the area courtesy of an Osman Chavez deflection.
Villa had a wonderful chance to secure his first FIFA World Cup hat-trick ten minutes later when Navas won a textbook penalty when being brought down by Emilio Izaguirre; and although Villa sent Valladares the wrong way, his sidefooted effort went agonisingly wide leaving the Spaniard to have to settle for a tournament brace instead.
For Honduras, David Suazo and substitute, Ramon Nunez, were working desperately to craft some chances for their side to get back into the game; but when given the chance to restore some parity for the Central Americans, they both fired their shots lamentably wide.
In fact, Honduras finished the game without a shot on target, which demonstrated La Roja’s dominance throughout as the game petered out with the Spanish conquest already complete.
Going into the last round of matches in Group H, both sides still mathematically have the chance to progress to the Round of 16 when Spain and Honduras take on Chile and Switzerland respectively in four days time.
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