Spain lets no miracle to happen

If ever there was a David versus Goliath clash in international football this was it.

Spain, the reigning World and European champions taking on Tahiti, ranked 138th by the game's governing body FIFA, one place below Syria.

Almost all of Tahiti's squad are amateur players -- nine are unemployed -- and their coach Eddy Etaeta even admitted before the tournament began: "We are not here to win."

After a heavy defeat in their opening Confederations Cup game against Nigeria, Etaeta declared their dream had come true -- solely because they found the net in a 6-1 reverse.

There was to be no goal this time round as they were put to the sword by Spain who completed a 10-0 victory to all-but secure a semifinal berth.

That represented the biggest in the history of the competition that pits the champions of each FIFA confederation against each other and acts as a precursor to next year's World Cup in Brazil.

But Tahiti's squad were afforded a standing ovation from the 71,000 crowd, who backed them throughout the match.

After handing over pendants to their opponents prior to kick-off, Tahiti maintained parity for less than five minutes as Chelsea striker Fernando Torres beat goalkeeper Mikael Roche at his near post to put the World champions ahead.

Any Tahiti foray into Spain's half was roared by the crowd but Vicente Del Bosque's side soon fired two goals in the space of two minutes as David Silva and Torres found the net.

David Villa grabbed a goal either side of the break before Torres sealed his hat-trick just before the hour mark. Villa's treble followed soon after as Juan Mata then got number eight.

Torres missed the chance to claim his fourth, sending a penalty over the crossbar after Ricky Aitamai was adjudged to have handled the ball.

But he made amends a minute later as he rounded Roche to slot into an empty net. Silva then got his second, firing home from inside the area.

The crowd were willing Tahiti forward but the closest they came to scoring was when Lorenzo Tehau narrowly failed to latch onto Marama Vahirua's pass, but the offside flag had gone up.

Upon the final whistle, Tahiti gave Spain a guard of honor as the World champions left the pitch before the minnows took the applause of the crowd.

Before the game there was a heavy police presence outside the ground in Rio in response to the ongoing protests in Brazil.

Thursday's other match in Group B sees Nigeria take on Uruguay, with the African side knowing a win will take them into the final four.


/CNN/