Spain looking to reassert World Cup credentials

Johannesburg: Anything less than a win for Spain against Honduras tomorrow could see one of the

pre-tournament favorites making an ignominious early exit from the World Cup. The shock 1-0 loss to Switzerland in its opening game was only the second defeat for Spain in 49 matches and means that the team cannot afford to slip up again in its remaining two Group H fixtures. The 2008 European champions play Honduras at Johannesburg`s Ellis Park. Both teams lost their opening games 1-0 and trail Switzerland and Chile by three points following the first round of matches. Spain striker Fernando Torres is confident that the team`s bad day has passed and that it will not be leaving the World Cup early - like many Spanish sides have done in the past. The 26-year-old Liverpool striker will be hoping he gets the nod from coach Vicente del Bosque to start the match, after coming on as a substitute in the game against Switzerland. "I`ve been training for more than two weeks with my teammates and little by little I`ve forgotten about the injury," said Torres, who is recovering from surgery on his right knee in April. "It`s up to the coach. He decides." Alongside forward David Villa, Torres could provide the extra punch Spain was lacking against the Swiss. Despite having the bulk of the possession, Spain lacked a cutting edge against a massed Swiss defense. "We had chances. We didn`t score a goal and that was the key. Let`s hope it doesn`t happen again since that would be odd," Torres said Saturday. "The most important thing is not to allow anxiety to overwhelm us if minutes pass and we are not able to score." Unsurprisingly, Spain has encountered a torrent of criticism following the Swiss defeat, much of it directed at the coach. Former coach Luis Aragones, who led Spain to the 2008 European title, said his successor was wrong in playing two holding midfielders - Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets - and only Villa up front. That left Torres and creative midfielder Cesc Fabregas out of the lineup. Fabregas did not even come on as a substitute. Defender Gerard Pique said Fabregas could provide what the Spanish were lacking. "A lot of touch, the ability to get into the area and goals," Pique said. "If the coach opts for him, he`ll help us very much." Since the defeat, the Spanish players have insisted there will be no change to the team`s possession-based, quick-touch game regardless of who starts. "It`s hard to evaluate, especially since the system worked well in the warmup games coming in," Alonso said. "The coach makes the decisions and whatever he decides, the players back him 100 percent." Honduras coach Reinaldo Rueda is expecting the full force of a Spanish backlash. "We should not be distracted by the (Swiss) result," Rueda said. "As one of the favorites and having lost their first game, Spain will be even more determined." Rueda, who served a touchline ban in the match against Chile after having been sent off in Honduras` last qualifier against El Salvador, will be hoping that his main striker David Suazo has fully recovered from right thigh injury to be able to play a part in the match against Spain. Though ultimately overwhelmed by Chile in the 1-0 defeat, Honduras showed attacking verve at stages during the match. Torres said Spain will not be taking the Central American team lightly. "They`ve got dangerous players on the counterattack and they can do us damage if we think it`s going to be easy," Torres said. "They`re going to want to win, a draw doesn`t serve them." PTI