`무적함대' 스페인이 강력한 화력으로 월드컵  첫 출전한 우크라이나를 맹폭하며 16강 진출에 확실히 유리한 고지를 점령했다. 

스페인은 14일(한국시간) 라이프치히 첸트랄슈타디온에서 벌어진 2006 독일월드컵 H조 조별리그 우크라이나와 1차전에서 사비 알론소의 선제골에 이어 다비드 비야가 추가 2골을 몰아쳤고 페르난도 토레스는 쐐기골까지 터뜨려 4-0으로 완승을 거뒀다. 

세계랭킹 5위인 스페인은 복병으로 평가되던 우크라이나를 이번 대회들어  최대 점수차로 가볍게 제압하고 승점 3을 획득, 튀니지, 사우디아라비아 등 약체들로  구성된 H조에서 이변이 없는 한 조 1위로 16강에 오를 것이 확실시되고 있다. 

루이스 아라고네스 스페인 감독은 이날 페르난도 토레스-루이스  가르시아-다비드 비야를 공격 최전방에 내세운 4-3-3 포메이션으로 경기를 시작했다. 

스페인 팬들은 간판 스트라이커인 라울 곤살레스를 벤치에 앉힌 아라고네스  감독의 용병술에 비난 여론이 높았지만 경기를 시작하자 마자 아라고네스 감독의 판단은 정확한 것으로 판명났다. 

슈팅수 19-5, 코너킥 7-1에서 드러나듯 스페인은 초반부터 화려한 개인기와  세밀하고 조직적인 패스워크로 그라운드의 주도권을 완전히 장악했다. 

특히 스페인은 전반전에 세트플레이로만 2골을 작성했다. 

전반 13분 스페인은 미드필더 다르코스 세나가 기습적인  중거리슛을  날렸으나 우크라이나 올렉산드르 숍콥스키가 가까스로 쳐냈다. 

그러나 스페인은 사비가 감아올린 코너킥을 사비 알론소가 정확하게 머리로  받아넣어 선취골을 터뜨렸다. 

기세가 오른 스페인은 불과 4분 뒤 페널티 정면에서 얻은 프리킥을 통해  2번째 골을 성공시켰다. 

키커로 나선 비야의 강력한 오른발 슛이 벽을 쌓았던 우크라이나 수비수의 머리를 맞은 뒤 골문으로 빨려들어갔다. 

후반에도 스페인은 공세를 멈추지 않았다. 

시작하자 마자 토레스가 문전 돌파를 시도하자 우크라이나 수비수 블라디슬라프 바슈크는 유니폼을 잡고 늘어지다 다리를 걸어 넘어뜨려 퇴장 명령을 받았다. 

이번 대회 첫 페널티킥을 얻은 스페인은 비야가 침착하게 성공시켜 3-0으로  점수 차를 벌렸고 우크라이나는 바슈크으로 퇴장으로 숫적인 열세로까지 몰렸다. 

승기를 잡은 아라고네스 감독은 비야와 알론소를 빼고 라울과 다비드  알벨다를 교체 투입하는 여유까지 부렸고 후반 37분 토레스가 쐐기골을 넣어 대승을 거뒀다. 

우크라이나가 자랑하는 세계적인 공격수 안드리 셉첸코는 후방에서 전혀 볼  공급이 되지 않는데다 스페인은 강력한 수비진에 가로막혀 이렇다할 움직임조차  보여주지 못했다. (연합뉴스) 
 
Spain 4 : 0 Ukraine 

[ESP] 14. XABI ALONSO (13')21. VILLA David (17')21. VILLA David (48' PEN)9. TORRES Fernando (81') 

LEIPZIG, Germany (AP) - Maybe this time Spain won't need to dredge up those worn, old excuses. 

They've become familiar by now: how the 1930s civil war fragmented the nation and consequently the national team. Or that Spanish clubs tend to import players instead of developing homegrown talent. Or how the national team lacks the mental sturdiness to become champions. 
Spain looked ready to cast off its reputation as a chronic underachiever Wednesday, routing struggling newcomer Ukraine 4-0 for its biggest opening World Cup win. It was a sizzling start to yet another title bid after 11 futile, often disheartening attempts. 

David Villa scored twice and Fernando Torres capped the romp with a sensational goal off a series of passes. 

"Let's be fair, we had the good luck today that we don't usually have," coach Luis Aragones said. "But all the players did what they were expected to." 

As famous for its international flops as the finesse and flair of its game, Spain appears on the right track this time. It is on a 23-match unbeaten streak, all under Aragones, a nice change for the nation whose checkered international soccer history has been one of perpetual disappointment. 

While the Spaniards are making their eighth consecutive World Cup appearance, they have failed to reach the semifinals since posting their best result, a fourth-place finish in 1950. 

"Historically speaking it is correct we have never achieved at great tournaments, but if all together we show what we can do I know we can be among the top teams at this tournament," Aragones said. "At first I thought it was going to be more complicated, but the second goal made Ukraine more crestfallen and the rest was easier." 

A tendency to fade as they get farther in the tournament, as well as a run of bad luck, have plagued the Spaniards. Most recently, Spain was eliminated in controversial fashion by co-host South Korea on penalty kicks in 2002. Two goals were taken away on debatable calls by the referee, including an overtime header on a cross that was ruled out of bounds despite replays showing otherwise. 

"I think the team is better prepared physically and mentally," Aragones said. "Today, everything worked out. There will be other days where things don't turn out the way we want them to." 

Spain dominated from the start to the final whistle, accumulating 19 shots to Ukraine's five. 

"It's painful to lose 4-0," Ukraine coach Oleh Blokhin said. "I've never lost 4-0. The players did not respect the advice of their coaches. 

"On some occasions we were playing like the worst team in Europe." 

Xabi Alonso opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a header past Oleksandr Shovkovskyi off a corner kick by Xavi. 

Villa made it 2-0 just four minutes later, deflecting the ball off the Ukrainian wall on a free kick after a late challenge by Andriy Rusol on Torres that drew a yellow card for Rusol. 

Villa scored again just two minutes into the second half on a penalty kick after being brought down by Vladyslav Vashchyuk, who was ejected for pulling his opponent's shirt and tripping him. 

Down to 10 men, Ukraine had no chance of a comeback, and Torres connected with a powerful right-footer in the 81st minute. 

Carles Puyol intercepted a pass at midfield, beat a defender with a spin and dragback, then passed to Torres. He sent the ball to Raul Gonzalez, who put it back to Puyol on the edge of the area. Puyol headed it into the path of Torres, who had continued running and hit the ball to the keeper's right side from 16 yards. 

Ukraine star Andriy Shevchenko, expected to parade his goal-scoring talent on the world's biggest soccer stage, had little effect on the match. Blokhin had hesitated to start his prize player, who was returning from a nagging knee injury sustained in May. 

"Maybe if they hadn't scored that second goal it could have been different, but after the second one, everything was finished," Shevchenko said. "Everyone tried their best, I don't know what happened." 
 
 

중동의 맹주 사우디아라비아가 북아프리카의 강호 튀니지와 아쉬운 무승부를 기록했다. 

사우디아라비아는 15일(한국시간) 뮌헨 월드컵경기장에서 벌어진  2006독일월드컵 H조 조별리그 튀니지와의 1차전에서 2-1로 앞선 후반 인저리타임에 동점골을  허용해 2-2 무승부가 됐다. 

이로써 승점 1점씩을 기록한 사우디아라비아와 튀니지는 20일 각각 우크라이나, 스페인과 2차전을 갖게 됐다. 

선취골은 튀니지가 뽑았지만 사우디아라비아가 다 잡았던 경기를 놓친 한  판이었다. 

프랑스 출신의 로제 르메르 감독이 이끄는 튀니지는 전반 23분 사우디 진영  좌측에서 프리킥으로 올라온 볼이 사우디아라비아 수비수의 머리를 맞고 흘러  나오자 지에드 자지리가 환상적인 시저스킥으로 골네트를 갈라 1-0으로 앞섰다. 

그러나 튀니지는 이후 지나치게 소극적인 경기 운영으로 역전의 빌미를  제공했다. 

후반들어 총공세에 나선 사우디아라비아는 13분 튀니지 진영 좌측을 파고 든 모하메드 누르가 땅볼 크로스를 올리자 문전으로 쇄도하던 야세르 사이드 알 카타니가 오른발로 가볍게 밀어넣어 동점을 만들었다. 

기세가 오른 사우디는 후반 39분 역습에 나서 말레크 무아스가 논스톤으로 찔러준 볼을 잡은 노장 사미 알 자베르가 튀니지 골키퍼 알리 붐니젤과 1대1로 맞선  상황에서 회심의 역전골을 성공시켜 2-1로 뒤집었다. 

그러나 사우디는 마지막 인저리 타임을 견디지 못하고 땅을 쳤다. 

막판 반격에 나선 튀니지는 첫 골을 터뜨렸던 자지리가 크로스한 볼을 라디  자이디가 헤딩슛을 성공시켜 극적으로 2-2 무승부를 만들었다. 

양팀 모두 아쉬움속에 발길을 돌렸으나 튀니지는 이 경기에서  4명이나  경고를 당해 2차전부터 상당한 부담을 안게 됐다. 

경기 최우수선수는 1골과 1도움을 기록한 튀니지의 자지리가  선정됐으며  역대 전적에서는 튀니지가 4승2무2패로 여전히 앞섰다. (연합뉴스) 
 
Tunisia 2 : 2 Saudi Arabia 

[TUN] 5. JAZIRI Zied (23') 15. JAIDI Radhi (92+') 
[KSA] 20. AL KAHTANI Yasser (57') 9. AL JABER Sami (84')
 
MUNICH, Germany (AP) - Tunisia made sure the first round of the World Cup wasn't a total loss for Africa. 

Rahdi Jaidi's powerful header in injury time gave Tunisia a 2-2 tie with Saudi Arabia in a Group H game that was also the only all-Arab match of the tournament. 
It was the first point earned by one of five African teams at this tournament. Ivory Coast, Angola, Ghana and Togo all lost their opening games. 

"Our objective is to be able to go into the last match without having lost all hope, so that we still have something to fight for," Tunisia coach Roger Lemerre said. "It's a point won." 

It almost wasn't. 

Sami al-Jaber gave the Saudis a 2-1 lead in the 84th when he finished off a 2-on-1 break. Al-Jaber, who retired from the national team, then was brought back for qualifying, had entered the game moments before. He has played in four World Cups and now has goals in three after scoring on his first touch of the game. 

Saudi Arabia coach Marcos Paqueta had left al-Jaber on the bench because the veteran was struggling with a thigh problem. But the 34-year-old showed his class at the first opportunity. 

"The entry of (al-Jaber), a very experienced player, was important," Lemerre said. 

The game was a scrappy affair and Lemerre said his players lacked poise as well as fitness, suggesting neither team will go far in the tournament. Saudi Arabia reached the second round only once, in the United States in 1994, while Tunisia has never gotten out of group play. 

Tunisia plays Spain on Monday, the same day Saudi Arabia plays Ukraine. Spain beat Ukraine 4-0 Wednesday. 

Al-Jaber's late goal almost allowed the Saudis to emphatically erase recent World Cup embarrassment. 

Four years after an 8-0 humiliation against Germany in their opening game, goals from Yasser al-Qahtani and the veteran al-Jaber put the Saudis in position for a victory - and a bonus of $27,000 per player. 

Then Tunisia struck for the tie. Jaidi, a hulking defender, pushed up and was unmarked in front of the middle of the goal to head in Ziad Jaziri's pinpoint pass. 

Each team has one point, behind Group H favorite Spain, which routed Ukraine 4-0 earlier Wednesday. 

The Tunisians took the lead in the 23rd minute, when the Saudi defense failed to clear a corner kick and Jaziri thumped the ball hard and high into the top-left corner of the Saudi net. 

"They weren't defensive mistakes," Paqueta said. "They were just two good Tunisian goals." 

Saudi Arabia slowly recovered its poise, with midfielder Nawaf al-Temyat at the center of increasingly dangerous moves. 

It earned a string of free kicks and corners, and Tunisia's 40-year-old goalkeeper Ali Boumnijel, the oldest player in the tournament, had to dive sharply to hold a dangerous free kick by Redha Takar in the 37th minute. 

The pressure paid off in the 57th at the end of a smooth passing move. Noor Mohammed got behind Tunisia's David Jemmali down the right side and crossed low and hard for al-Qahtani to clip the ball past Boumnijel at the near post. 

Saudi players, who had prayed together on the turf after taking the lead, walked off the field exchanging sharp words after the victory slipped away.