Spain's Fernando Torres (centre) celebrates his goal against Tunisia with teammates Marinano Pernia and Raul (right) during their Group H World Cup 2006 soccer match in Stuttgart yesterday. Torres netted twice in Spain's come-from-behind 3-1 win. - REUTERS
STUTTGART (Reuters):
SPAIN CAME from behind to beat Tunisia 3-1 at the World Cup in Germany yesterday and book their place in the second round while Ukraine crushed Saudi Arabia 4-0 to revitalise their campaign.
Earlier, Switzerland beat Togo 2-0 to end the West African side's hopes of progressing to the last 16, despite a players' pay dispute which has overshadowed their efforts.
With 10 goals in three matches, yesterday was the most goal-filled day of the month-long tournament so far. It also marked the halfway stage in terms of matches played, with 32 down and another 32 to go.
Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, England, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain have all qualified for the knockout stage with a group game to spare.
In their Group H match against Tunisia in Stuttgart, the Spaniards struggled to live up to the high standards they set in a 4-0 demolition of Ukraine in their opening game.
They went behind to a first-half strike from Joahar Mnari, who reacted quickest after Spain goalkeeper Ilker Casillas blocked his initial shot.
But Spain hit back after the break with a goal from substitute Raul, Spain's all-time top scorer, and two from Fernando Torres including an injury time penalty.
LEADING SCORER
The 22-year-old Torres is now the tournament's leading scorer, with three goals in two games.
"It was harder than we expected but it is important to win anyway you can," Torres said. "Today the team showed spirit and did not get downhearted when they were behind. As long as the strikers keep scoring we will progress in this tournament."
Ukraine put themselves in pole position to claim the second qualifying slot in the group by beating Saudi Arabia.
Although the Saudis were disappointing in the Group H game, Ukraine still looked like a team transformed from their own 4-0 drubbing by Spain in their opening match last week.
"It's a little bit like Cinderella, the pumpkin turned into a beautiful coach and the other animals turned into wonderful horses," coach Oleg Blokhin told reporters.
"That's what happened to us today. We knew it was a decisive match and we turned things around and did a great job."
Goals from Andriy Rusol and Serhiy Rebrov gave fired-up Ukraine a deserved 2-0 lead at half-time in Hamburg.
Andriy Shevchenko headed home an inswinging free kick a minute after the break and then set up midfielder Maksim Kalinichenko for the fourth in the 84th minute.
Togo's defeat was another blow for the West African side whose stay in Germany has been clouded by their pay dispute.
New TVJ World Cup schedule
AS OF today all teams in the 2006 World Cup, the greatest show on earth, will play their final matches before heading home or advancing to the second round.
In light of this, the World Cup timetable moves from three to four matches per day, with two matches being played simultaneously.
As a result, Television Jamaica (TVJ), the World Cup station, has revised their programme for viewing of the matches.
Instead of 8:00 a.m. matches now begin at 9:00 a.m., and the following matches at half an hour intervals.
The first match for each group will be live with a delayed broadcast of the second match immediately following.
From today to Friday, June 23, match times will be 9:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. with highlights at 9:00 p.m. nightly.
In the second round and quarter-finals match times will move to 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Semi-finals will be aired at 2:00 p.m. with the grand final on Sunday, June 9, at 1:00 p.m.
