World Cup 2010: Fernando Torres on target as Spain hit Poland for six
Wednesday, June 9, 2010 @ 3:31 PM
Fernando Torres finally returned to action after undergoing surgery for a knee injury and scored within 10 minutes of coming on as Spain crushed Poland in their final warm-up game before World Cup 2010. There was one concern for the Spanish following a masterful performance, with Andrés Iniesta forced to withdraw before half-time – although early indications suggest that his departure was a precautionary measure. The midfielder will undergo tests in Barcelona today.
For all the protestations of coach Vicente del Bosque, favourites is a tag the Spanish wear lightly, while the depth of their squad is startling. Every time a player departed an equally good one took his place – from Cesc Fábregas for Xavi Hernández, to Torres for David Villa, or Jesús Navas for David Silva. Not that Spain will want to be without Iniesta, who was forced to make way after just 38 minutes. The all too familiar sight of his retiring to the bench was even more concerning after a season blighted by muscular injuries.
The importance of his withdrawal was illustrated by the role he had played in Spain's opening two goals. After 13 minutes, he played a dangerous curling ball across the face of the six yard box with the outside of his right foot, which David Villa turned in. Then, a minute later, Iniesta scooped a wonderful ball into the path of Xavi, who simply rolled it across the face of the six-yard box for Silva to score.
Comfort came as he took his place on the bench – there was no sign of alarm, nor even an ice pack. And from Spain's reaction. Xabi Alonso and Fábregas had made it 4-0 by the time Torres appeared on 65 minutes. Eight minutes later, he confidently side-footed Pedro Rodríguez's pass beyond Tomasz Kuszczak. Soon he was bearing on the goalkeeper once more, but this time he couldn't not reach the ball first. It did, though, drop to Rodríguez to flight a delicate chip over the line as the keeper scrambled back. It was his first for the national team, Spain's sixth of a hugely impressive night.
Source: The Guardian