Spain shrugs off friendly reverse to Netherlands
Print Edition
ALTHOUGH Spain’s 0-2 reverse to the Netherlands on Tuesday brought back bitter memories of its disastrous 2014 World Cup, coach Vicente del Bosque will not be too worried about a third straight friendly defeat for La Roja.
Netherlands, whose 5-1 drubbing of Spain in the group stage in Brazil last year marked the end of the Iberian nation’s six-year rule over the world game, scored two early goals in Amsterdam and held on against some determined Spain pressure in the second half for a 2-0 success.
The Dutch became the first team to inflict two defeats on Del Bosque since he took over in 2008 but the gruff 64-year-old had used the match to try out several new faces and he fielded a largely experimental, second-string team.
Malaga forward Juanmi and Sevilla midfielder Vitolo became the 55th and 56th players to debut under Del Bosque, while the likes of goalkeeper David de Gea, defenders Raul Albiol, Juan Bernat and Dani Carvajal and midfielder Mario Suarez all started the game.
“The national team’s state of health is good,” center back Gerard Pique told reporters.
“We are in a process where players are coming into the team and gathering experience,” added the Barcelona defender.
“We are second in qualifying (for Euro 2016) and these friendly games are for experimenting.
“I am not that worried about this match because we lost friendlies in previous years and then ended up winning titles.”
Del Bosque will be confident he can find the right mix of players to secure Spain’s berth at Euro 2016 in France next year, when it will be chasing an unprecedented third straight title.
Slovakia is the surprise leader in qualifying Group C thanks to a 2-1 win over Spain in Zilina in October and has a maximum 15 points from five of 10 matches.
Spain is second on 12 points, three ahead of Ukraine, which it beat 1-0 in Seville on Friday.
Del Bosque’s side hosts Slovakia in September in a match that could decide who goes through to the finals as the group winner.
In Turin, England substitute Andros Townsend fired home a superb late goal to earn a 1-1 draw against Italy in a fiercely contested friendly on Tuesday.
Townsend struck in the 79th minute after Italy had taken the lead on the half-hour through Graziano Pelle’s deft header.
In Lisbon, a second-half sending off for Andre Pinto capped a miserable evening for a second-string Portugal side, which was beaten 0-2 by African minnow Cape Verde in a friendly.
Portugal fielded none of the players that beat Serbia in Euro 2016 qualifying on Sunday and was undone by two first-half goals scored within six minutes of each other.
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