Spain, Argentina stamp their class
Source: Agencies |
March 5, 2010, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
WORLD Cup title hopefuls Spain, England and Argentina seized morale-boosting victories in warm-up matches on Wednesday.
European champion Spain comfortably saw off France 2-0 in Paris while a double from Peter Crouch helped England fight back to beat visiting Egypt 3-1.
Gonzalo Higuain scored a stunning goal as Argentina won 1-0 in Germany and the Netherlands beat the US 2-1 in Amsterdam. Uruguay was a 3-1 winner in Switzerland but world champion Italy was held 0-0 by Cameroon in Monaco.
First-half goals from David Villa and Sergio Ramos put a dominant Spain in charge against former world champion France and its hold on the game was rarely threatened.
The host continued to look short on confidence after having qualified for the World Cup via a controversial playoff against Ireland and the crowd vented their frustration by whistling under-fire coach Raymond Domenech during and after the game.
"This was a very important game. To beat a world champion like France gives you confidence," Spain captain Iker Casillas said.
African champion Egypt outplayed England in the first-half at Wembley, a superb goal from Mohamed Zidan giving the visitors a deserved lead. Crouch helped turn the game around for England after the break with a goal either side of a well-taken effort from Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Argentina striker Higuain staked his claim for a place in coach Diego Maradona's starting line-up with a wonderfully-taken goal against Germany, lifting the ball over the goalkeeper before finishing from 30 meters out.
After some unimpressive displays Argentina was the better team against the Germans, who only came to life near the end.
"It was (like) a World Cup game," Maradona said. "The lads played a great match. I've nothing but praise for all of them."
The Dutch needed a Dirk Kuyt penalty and a deflected shot from Klaas Jan Huntelaar to ease past the Americans while in-form Diego Forlan set Uruguay on its way to a 3-1 comeback win in Switzerland.
Other sides warming up for the World Cup with victories were Slovenia, which thumped Qatar 4-1, and Portugal which defeated China 2-0 in Coimbra.
Nigeria eased past the Democratic Republic of Congo 5-2 while World Cup host South Africa fielded a weakened team at home to Namibia and needed a goal from Katlego Mphela to grab an unconvincing 1-1 draw.
Midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic shone for Serbia in its emphatic 3-0 victory in Algeria, Ghana lost 1-2 in Bosnia and Ivory Coast slumped 0-2 in London against South Korea.
Other sides bound for the finals who failed to impress were Greece which conceded late goals to fall 0-2 at home to Senegal. Slovakia was beaten 0-1 by Norway, Denmark lost 1-2 in Austria and Honduras slumped 0-2 in Turkey.
In other friendlies, Craig Levein celebrated his first game as Scotland manager with a 1-0 home win over Czech Republic, Sweden won 1-0 in Wales thanks to a superb volley by Johan Elmander, and Mexico blanked New Zealand 2-0.
European champion Spain comfortably saw off France 2-0 in Paris while a double from Peter Crouch helped England fight back to beat visiting Egypt 3-1.
Gonzalo Higuain scored a stunning goal as Argentina won 1-0 in Germany and the Netherlands beat the US 2-1 in Amsterdam. Uruguay was a 3-1 winner in Switzerland but world champion Italy was held 0-0 by Cameroon in Monaco.
First-half goals from David Villa and Sergio Ramos put a dominant Spain in charge against former world champion France and its hold on the game was rarely threatened.
The host continued to look short on confidence after having qualified for the World Cup via a controversial playoff against Ireland and the crowd vented their frustration by whistling under-fire coach Raymond Domenech during and after the game.
"This was a very important game. To beat a world champion like France gives you confidence," Spain captain Iker Casillas said.
African champion Egypt outplayed England in the first-half at Wembley, a superb goal from Mohamed Zidan giving the visitors a deserved lead. Crouch helped turn the game around for England after the break with a goal either side of a well-taken effort from Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Argentina striker Higuain staked his claim for a place in coach Diego Maradona's starting line-up with a wonderfully-taken goal against Germany, lifting the ball over the goalkeeper before finishing from 30 meters out.
After some unimpressive displays Argentina was the better team against the Germans, who only came to life near the end.
"It was (like) a World Cup game," Maradona said. "The lads played a great match. I've nothing but praise for all of them."
The Dutch needed a Dirk Kuyt penalty and a deflected shot from Klaas Jan Huntelaar to ease past the Americans while in-form Diego Forlan set Uruguay on its way to a 3-1 comeback win in Switzerland.
Other sides warming up for the World Cup with victories were Slovenia, which thumped Qatar 4-1, and Portugal which defeated China 2-0 in Coimbra.
Nigeria eased past the Democratic Republic of Congo 5-2 while World Cup host South Africa fielded a weakened team at home to Namibia and needed a goal from Katlego Mphela to grab an unconvincing 1-1 draw.
Midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic shone for Serbia in its emphatic 3-0 victory in Algeria, Ghana lost 1-2 in Bosnia and Ivory Coast slumped 0-2 in London against South Korea.
Other sides bound for the finals who failed to impress were Greece which conceded late goals to fall 0-2 at home to Senegal. Slovakia was beaten 0-1 by Norway, Denmark lost 1-2 in Austria and Honduras slumped 0-2 in Turkey.
In other friendlies, Craig Levein celebrated his first game as Scotland manager with a 1-0 home win over Czech Republic, Sweden won 1-0 in Wales thanks to a superb volley by Johan Elmander, and Mexico blanked New Zealand 2-0.
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