Riding on brace by skipper Abel Ruiz, Spain thrash debutants Niger 4-0 to put their qualification hopes back on track after opening defeat to Brazil
A formidable Spain thrashed debutants Niger 4-0 to be back in contention for a FIFA U-17 World Cup pre-quarterfinal berth from Group D yesterday. La Rojita's previous defeat against Brazil was painful for the UEFA U-17 champions, but in their second match, Spain passed the ball beautifully once again to leave Niger spellbound.
Spain skipper Abel Ruiz (right) celebrates with teammate Antonio Blanco after scoring his second goal during the FIFA U-17 World Cup match v Niger in Kochi yesterday. Pic/Getty Images
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Tiki-taka takes control
Technically efficient and tactically excellent, Spain took the first 10 to 12 minutes to measure their opponents. The West Africans pressed hard, used their physique to the best of their abilities and earned three corners, but failed to find the net. Once Spain's tiki-taka style of play took control, they won the game in style. In fact, they could have scored more.
Cesar Gelbert and Sergio Gomez scored the third and fourth goal, but the spotlight was on Spanish captain Abel Ruiz who was the star of the match with a brace in the 21st and 41st minutes. The La Masia product is already the highest scorer in the UEFA European U-17 championship. He returned with goals after a blank against Brazil. Spain coach Santi Denia was particularly happy with Ruiz's performance. "He has been with us for the last two years and continues to impress the whole world. He has a bright future and is already famous in the world of football because of his Barcelona links," Denia said during the post-match conference yesterday.
Niger coach slams referee
Meanwhile, Niger coach Ismalia Tiemoko alleged that the referee forced his players to play more at the back rather than upfront. "It's not my habit to criticise the referee, but I have to say that whenever we were in a better position, somehow the referee's decision stopped us going ahead. We were definitely outclassed by a more experienced Spain, but the referee did not allow us to use our physical prowess." Santi, however, did not want to comment on his counterpart's remarks. "I respect the referee and his decisions."
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