Villa to the fore in Spanish successWednesday 10 September 2008
Match report by Paul Bryan
Spain defeated Armenia 4-0 in Albacete to make it two wins from two in
their quest to reach the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals. David Villa
scored a goal in each half while Joan Capdevila and Marcos Senna also
found the net to ensure a successful start to qualifying for new coach
Vicente del Bosque.
Early goals
The Spanish coach made two changes to the side that beat
Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-0 four days earlier with Cesc FÃ bregas and Diego
Capel losing out to Santi Cazorla and Dani Güiza. After just seven
minutes the home side took the lead when local favourite Andrés
Iniesta slid a pass in for Capdevila who stayed onside before smashing
a shot from eight metres past Roman Berezovski in the Armenia
goal. Just nine minutes later the European champions had a second when
David found space in the area before shooting into the corner of the
net.
Spirited comeback
Far from collapsing, the visitors, who lost 2-0 at home to Turkey on
Saturday, began to get forward and created some chances of their
own. In the space of five minutes, Levon Pachajyan twice glimpsed
goal. After prodding one effort wide of Iker Casillas’s near post
after some fine build-up play by Artavazd Karamyan, the 2007 Armenian
Player of the Year then drew a right-footed stop from the Spain
goalkeeper.
Further chances
Villa should have made it 3-0 as the half progressed but ‘El Guaje’
headed Sergio Ramos’s superb centre wide then moments later the
Valencia CF forward had another attempt parried away by
Berezovski. Del Bosque had described Armenia as "fiery and quick on
the counter" and they continued to prove so. Ten minutes before the
break Artur Voskanyan fizzed an effort just over from the edge of the
area, then moments later Agvan Lazarian crept through before firing
straight at Casillas.
Game over
Fewer opportunities for either side in the second half meant the
loudest cheer inside the Carlos Belmonte stadium prior to Spain’s
final two goals came with the introduction of Bojan KrkiÄ=87 to make
his senior international debut. Villa scored Spain’s third from Xabi
Alonso’s clever pass with eleven minutes to go before Marcos Senna
wrapped things up with a wonderful blast from distance, his first goal
in a Spanish shirt.
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