FIFA Confederations Cup

New Zealand vs Spain
0 - 5

Spain extended their unbeaten run to 33 matches with an embarrassingly one-sided win over New Zealand in their Confed Cup opener.

The top team in Oceania were no match for the European Champions, who were 4-0 up inside 24 minutes with Liverpool striker Fernando Torres grabbing a hat-trick.

Cesc Fabregas was also on the scoresheet with David Villa netting a fifth in front of a sparse crowd in the mining town of Rustenburg.

New Zealand were without captain Ryan Nelsen of Blackburn Rovers and his absence proved key as their defensive limitations were cruelly exposed by a team possessing some of the best attacking players in the world.

Despite the tournament coming at the end of a long European season, Spain looked fresh and took the game to the All Whites from the off.

And it took only six minutes for Torres to make his mark.

The former Atletico Madrid star was afforded far too much time and space on the edge of the area and he easily turned before curling a delicious right foot shot into the top right hand corner.

Torres struck again eight minutes later. Albert Riera played a clever pass to Villa and his cut-back was perfect for his strike-partner to guide the ball past New Zealand keeper Glen Moss with his instep.

Torres could have added a third after 16 minutes but his header, after Villa's shot had been blocked by Moss' feet, was weak and the Kiwi keeper gathered.

He made no mistake a minute later, though, powerfully heading home Joan Capdevila's left-wing cross.

New Zealand looked shellshocked and they continued to have no answers to Spain's pass-and-move game.

Riera was next to try his luck with a right-foot shot that Moss saved well but it proved a temporary reprieve as Vicente Del Bosque's men scored their fourth from their next attack.

A long passage of possession football culminated in Capdevila finding space inside the box and his low centre was tapped into an empty net by Fabregas.

Spain's intensity finally relented, although New Zealand were still struggling to retain the ball.

They did force Spain keeper Iker Casillas into action a minute before half-time, though, the Real Madrid man flying full length to tip Dave Mulligan's free-kick around the post.

New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert would have demanded his players show pride in the second half but his team-talk went out of the window only three minutes after the restart when Villa made it 5-0 following a horrible blunder from defender Andy Boyens.

Torres' cross from the left should have been cleared but Boyens performed an air-kick, with the ball reaching Villa at the far post and he had the simplest of tasks to tap in.

Spain could have added more but Capdevila shot wide when well placed while Fabregas lashed a volley over after more defensive hesitancy.

Well i don't know much about FIFA Confederation Cup
I mean how the teams are judged? or qualified for the cup
I can see many important teams missing!

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C.Ronaldo's Signature:

Well the current 8 teams are Brazil, Italy, Spain, South Africa, Egypt, Iraq, New Zealand, and USA!

Group-A
Spain
Iraq
South Africa
New Zealand.

Standings!
In Group-A all 4 teams had played one match Spain beating New Zealand 5-0 and South Africa and Iraq ending 0-0 so Spain leads the point table with 3 pts.
Spain = 3pts
Iraq = 1pts
Soth Africa = 1 pts
New Zealand = 0pts

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C.Ronaldo's Signature:

Group-B
Italy
Brazil
Egypt
USA

All the teams in Group-B also had played 1 match each!. Brazil ended 4-3 against Egypt after Kaka's saving play and Italy defeated USA 3-1!


Standings!
Italy = 3pts
Brazil = 3pts
Egypt = 0pts
USA = 0pts

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C.Ronaldo's Signature:

Well Spain, Italy and Brazil are tough teams1 Whom do you people support??
I'm supporting Spain! Well if they lose, Brazil all the way
Italy

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C.Ronaldo's Signature:

Brazil & SPain

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Kimi's Signature:

Spain all the way.

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Dogbert's Signature:

ROnnie....

Outta these 8 teams.7 are the champions in different major leagues and 1 will be the host...

World Champions - Italy
Conacaf Gold Cup - USA
Confederations Cup - Brazil(Defending Champions)
European Champions - Spain
Asian Champions - Iraq
Oceania Champions - New Zealand
African Champions - Egypt
Host - South Africa

These nations only will play the confederations cup

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Kimi's Signature:

^Ok! Thanks
Today Italy lost 0-1 to Egypt
Amazing but Good

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C.Ronaldo's Signature:

What about oz?

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Ninja's Signature: