Spain, Germany enjoy easy wins
Source: Agencies |
February 8, 2013, Friday
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SPAIN, Germany and Argentina all won high-profile friendlies on Wednesday to justify their position as the world's top three teams.
World and European champion Spain stretched its unbeaten run to 17 games by beating Uruguay 3-1 in Doha, while Germany came from behind to beat France 2-1 away.
Lionel Messi failed to score but played a key role in Argentina's 3-2 win in Sweden.
Also, Marco Verratti scored a stoppage-time equalizer for Italy in a 1-1 draw at the Netherlands and Cristiano Ronaldo scored in a losing cause for Portugal, which was beaten 2-3 at home to Ecuador.
Spain and France were looking for confidence-boosting results ahead of their meeting in a crucial World Cup qualifier next month.
Pedro Rodriguez took his tally to nine goals in his last six internationals by scoring twice in the second half after Cesc Fabregas' 16th-minute opener was canceled out by Cristian Rodriguez in the 32nd. Spain was captained by Carles Puyol on the defender's 100th national-team appearance.
Germany hadn't beaten France in its last five meetings and needed a second-half turnaround to end that poor run.
Diminutive winger Mathieu Valbuena headed in from close range just before halftime for France, but Thomas Mueller equalized in the 51st and Sami Khedira scored the winner 16 minutes from time for second-ranked Germany's first win over the French in 26 years, when it was still West Germany.
The Netherlands looked like condemning Italy to a sixth straight friendly loss when Jeremain Lens put them in front in the 33rd, only for Verratti to come off the bench and score a last-gasp equalizer. "Everyone lost the plot at the end, we gave it away," Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal said.
World and European champion Spain stretched its unbeaten run to 17 games by beating Uruguay 3-1 in Doha, while Germany came from behind to beat France 2-1 away.
Lionel Messi failed to score but played a key role in Argentina's 3-2 win in Sweden.
Also, Marco Verratti scored a stoppage-time equalizer for Italy in a 1-1 draw at the Netherlands and Cristiano Ronaldo scored in a losing cause for Portugal, which was beaten 2-3 at home to Ecuador.
Spain and France were looking for confidence-boosting results ahead of their meeting in a crucial World Cup qualifier next month.
Pedro Rodriguez took his tally to nine goals in his last six internationals by scoring twice in the second half after Cesc Fabregas' 16th-minute opener was canceled out by Cristian Rodriguez in the 32nd. Spain was captained by Carles Puyol on the defender's 100th national-team appearance.
Germany hadn't beaten France in its last five meetings and needed a second-half turnaround to end that poor run.
Diminutive winger Mathieu Valbuena headed in from close range just before halftime for France, but Thomas Mueller equalized in the 51st and Sami Khedira scored the winner 16 minutes from time for second-ranked Germany's first win over the French in 26 years, when it was still West Germany.
The Netherlands looked like condemning Italy to a sixth straight friendly loss when Jeremain Lens put them in front in the 33rd, only for Verratti to come off the bench and score a last-gasp equalizer. "Everyone lost the plot at the end, we gave it away," Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal said.
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