Monday, June 18, 2012

Spain Wins Group C By Defeating Croatia 2-1


The Spanish entered the tournament as the favorites and backed up the hype by winning Group C in convincing fashion.  They defeated Croatia 1-0 today, which eliminated the Croats as the Italians came in second place.  Once again, they showed why they are the defending European and World Cup champions.

As in their previous games, the Spanish controlled the tempo throughout. Undoubtedly, they have the best squad in the world.  The mere fact that they can afford to have Barcelona’s Cesc Fabregas on the bench is a reminder of their quality, and youthfulness.

What have we learned from Spain’s group stage games?  They are beatable, and they know it.  Their initial game versus the Italians served as a wake up call that they are not invincible.  Italy showed the world that Vicente del Bosque, the Spanish manager, does not have confidence in Fernando Torres or his other strikers, and that he is still unsure of whether to play Fabregas or David Silva.  Ireland showed that you cannot give Spain space behind the backline since all of their players are capable of delivering the ball into these spaces.  Meanwhile, Croatia may have given future opponents the best way to play them.  Their opponent must defend the entire field with high pressure, and eliminate gaps that Spain can use for through balls. Most importantly, teams like Croatia must convert their opportunities on goal.

Luckily for Spanish supporters, they have a good coach, and he will find ways of adapting their game to exploit their opponent’s weaknesses.  One of their most glaring issues is their constant search for perfection.  They constantly have great opportunities, but they do not pull the trigger.  They look for something better.  As the tournament progresses, and the quality of their opposition increases, they must take more risk when attacking.

Spain is still the favorite, but even with their brilliance I do not see them lifting the trophy.  No team wins every game and Spain has already won more than their fair share.

By Lorenzo Zignago

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