Silva salvages draw for Spain

Mexico 1-1 Spain
World and European champions Spain needed a last-minute David Silva goal to salvage a draw in Mexico City.

Captain Iker Casillas received rapturous applause from the local fans as he led La Roja on to the field holding the FIFA World Cup but any notions of a victory parade were swiftly stamped out at the Azteca Stadium. Manchester United FC forward Javier Hernández broke the deadlock on 12 minutes, firing in low at the near post and, aside from a Santi Cazorla shot that hit the crossbar midway through the first half, Mexico looked the more likely scorers. Xavi Hernández has seen it all before, however, and with time ebbing away he pounced on a defensive lapse before feeding Silva who lifted the ball into the far corner.

"It was a hard game as they were playing very well on the counterattack but in the end we got the draw we deserved," said Spain coach Vicente del Bosque, who started with just three of the XI that beat the Netherlands in Johannesburg a month ago. "I have to give ten out of ten to every player here; they all played well and I'm very happy for that." Spain begin their UEFA European Championship defence away to Liechtenstein on 3 September.