Juanito heads Spain to victory
23 Jun 2006 - 17:24:15
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- Juanito heads Spain to victory
A second-string Spain side strolled to a 1-0 victory against Saudi Arabia as they maintained their 100 per cent winning record in the tournament.
Spain coach Luis Aragones made 11 changes from the team that came from behind to beat Tunisia 3-1 last time as his side had already qualified from Group H.
But Spain never really looked interested as they ambled through the match against a woeful Saudi Arabia team, who were on a damage-limitation exercise following their dismal display in the 4-0 defeat to Ukraine.
However, such was Spain's lackadaisical attitude, they almost let the Saudis grab a late equaliser.
Spain never got out of first gear in the opening 45 minutes but they were still far too good for Marcos Paqueta's side.
Raul headed Antonio Lopez's sixth minute cross over the bar when Joaquin was better placed, while Jose Antonio Reyes wasted a string of chances.
The over-worked Saudi keeper Mabrouk Zaid made several excellent saves - the best from David Albelda's powerful shot on the half-hour - before Spain took the lead in the 36th minute.
Zaid had no chance as Juanito powered a header home from Reyes' pinpoint free-kick.
Reyes and Cesc Fabregas were denied a goal by Zaid's agility before the interval, but Spain struggled to create many chances in the second period.
In fact as Saudi Arabia's confidence grew, they had the better second-half chances to score with Santiago Canizares spilling Hussein Sulimani's snap-shot, before recovering in time to rectify his error.
As the match drifted towards a conclusion, Saudi Arabia almost snatched an equaliser in the closing minutes. Saad Al-Harthi fired over the bar from barely ten yards out after being set up by the impressive Mohammed Noor, before Nawaf Al-Temyat's cross-cum-shot drifted inches wide of Canizares' goal.
Spain held on to win though and Aragones will be able to recall his rested first-choice stars for the last 16 clash on Tuesday.