Three Late Goals Propel Spain Past Tunisia, Into Last 16
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BERLIN – Spain may be about to shake off its tag as World Cup underachiever. A perennial disappointment in the tournament, Spain trailed Tunisia for much of yesterday’s game before scoring three late goals for a 3-1 win and a place in the second round.
Switzerland and Ukraine also won yesterday to move a step closer to qualifying from their first-round groups. Switzerland beat Togo 2-0, while Ukraine trounced Saudi Arabia 4-0.
Spain trailed in Stuttgart after an eighth-minute goal by Tunisia’s Jahwar Menari and appeared set for a surprising loss before a 71st-minute equalizer by Raul Gonzalez and two goals from Fernando Torres.
For his first, Torres collected a pass at the halfway line, took two quick touches, and flicked the ball past goalkeeper Ali Boumnijel with the outside of his right boot from the edge of the penalty area. His second goal was a 90th-minute penalty kick awarded when a defender held Torres to stop him from jumping for a header.
Having beaten Ukraine 4-0 in its opener, Spain is the eighth team to reach the second round. Defending champion Brazil, Germany, Argentina, the Netherlands, England, Portugal, and Ecuador are already into the last 16. Tunisia must beat Ukraine on Friday to have a chance to advance.Togo was eliminated with its loss and Saudi Arabia looks likely to join them.
Alexander Frei’s performance in Dortmund helped Switzerland to a win that means it needs only a draw against South Korea in its last Group G game to guarantee a spot in the second round.
Frei gave Switzerland the lead in the 16th minute, heading in a pass from Tranquillo Barnetta. He missed a chance to score in front of an open net early in the second half, but Barnetta added another in the 88th with a 17-yard shot.
In Hamburg, Andriy Shevchenko got a header and Serhiy Rebrov scored one of the best goals of the Cup in Ukraine’s win against Saudi Arabia, which was unable to muster a single shot on goal.
Andriy Rusol had already scored from a corner, the ball bouncing off his knee and into the goal, then Rebrov hit a 35-yard shot into the right corner of the net in the 36th minute.
Shevchenko made it 3-0 in the 46th and, with four minutes remaining,set up Maxim Kalinichenko for the final goal that completed a turnaround from the team’s opening loss to Spain.
