Spain bask in glow of new high
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Article summary
Spain's record 9-1 defeat of Belarus shows they "are favourites to win the title" according to Kike, with defeated coach Valeri Dosko left to pick up the pieces after an energy-sapping encounter with the reigning champions.
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Spain are used to setting the standards in this sport and they did so again with their UEFA European Futsal Championship finals record 9-1 defeat of Belarus.
Chances taken
It was only 2-1 at the break but Spain, aiming for a third straight title, struck seven times in the second half to take control of Group D at the expense of the finals debutants. Coach José Venancio López told uefa.com: "The main difference between first and second half was our finishing. In the first half we were not very lucky in the chances we had. Anyway, we always took the initiative throughout the match. We played better than them, we passed well and we were rewarded for our pressing game in the second period."
Kike pleased
Some familiar names were to the fore for Spain as captain Javi Rodríguez struck a hat-trick and Kike added two goals, his first within a minute of the Belarus equaliser. "I think we deserved the victory. Maybe the margin was a bit too much, but the goal difference might be useful and allow us to draw against Portugal [on Sunday] and still come top," Kike said. "I especially enjoyed the teamwork in the second half, where we saw the real Spain and showed we are favourites to win the title."
Energy sapped
Belarus now need a result against 2007 semi-finalists Portugal on Friday, but while coach Valeri Dosko was proud of their first-half performance, he conceded that Spain wore them out. "In the first half we were able to defend, sometimes we had good counterattacks," he said. "But at the beginning of the second half Spain started to play faster and we only had the energy to compete for six or seven minutes. I think, that the main reason of the score is a lack of energy, we were losing it with every minute."
'Foolish goal'
The key moment was perhaps when Belarus goalkeeper Artur Navoichik misjudged a 28th-minute Jordi Torrás effort from distance that put Spain 3-1. Dosko described it as a "clear mistake", Navoichik adding: "I don't think the third goal was decisive. If we hadn't conceded then, we would have conceded several minutes later. After the fifth goal our heads dropped. I agree with the coach that the third goal was my mistake, especially as the shot was from 14 metres. I wanted to play the ball first, then changed my mind and tried to catch it, in the end I did not succeed in anything. A foolish goal."