David Villa (right) is congratulated by Fernando Torres after the new Barcelona striker put the European champions a step closer to progressing from the group stages
Glorious Spain restored a little natural order to a shock-laden World Cup as they buried the challenge of Honduras at Ellis Park in the sort of dazzling fashion which reminded everyone why they had been installed as pre-tournament favourites.
Following their sensational defeat by Switzerland in their opening game, Vicente Del Bosque’s men put matters emphatically right with a pass and move masterclass which was adorned by the finishing of their totem David Villa, who netted both goals but will be kicking himself today after missing a penalty which would have seen him become the 50th owner of a World Cup hat-trick ball.
Spain were at times sumptuous, knocking the ball around with a skill and vision beyond the imagination of practically any other side in the tournament. Their only concern will be that they were so masterful, they should have bagged as many as Portugal did against North Korea earlier in the day. Heaven help opponents when Fernando Torres shakes off the ring rust.
Their coach Vicente Del Bosque had received plenty of unwanted advice, including some from his Euro winning predcesor Luis Aragones, in the build up to the game, urging him to be far more more ambitious in his selection after the blank against Switzerland.
He deigned to agree. To a point. Torres, substitute in the last game, was introduced from the start but Del Bosque decided against bringing in the creativity of Cesc Fabregas, preferring instead for the security blanket of his two midfield holders Sergio Busquets and Xabi Alonso.
Not that it made much difference to Spain’s dramatic sweep. Within the first 15 minutes, they had cut through Honduras almost at will to create half a dozen chances, including a 25 yarder dipper from Villa which beat Noel Valladares all ends up and plonked against the bar.
The only concern was that they might be bedevilled with the sort of bad luck they had suffered against Switzerland,especially when Sergio Ramos headed over when it looked easier to score.
Enter Villa. When he picked up the ball on the left flank in the 17th minute, there appeared nothing on, so he went alone, weaving inside the despairing challenges of two defenders before jinking past Osman Chavez and firing high into the corner of the net.
It was a magnificent goal, reminding everyone why Barcelona have paid £34 million for him. You would say Torres, still not at his sharpest after his knee surgery, is worth every bit as much but, just after the half hour, he looked a ten bob player as he missed the simplest of headers from a pinpoint Ramos cross and then ballooned a shot wildly over.
Ramos was splendid, doing his rampaging Maicon-meets-Tarzan impression up and down the right flank, and another cross should have been tucked away by Xavi as Spain’s delightful build up play failed to land the gloss finish it deserved.
On rare occasions, Honduras, with Walter Martinez and restored striker David Suazo, offered the slightest threat on the break but Spain’s only danger seemed to be to themselves, with Villa lucky that the Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura didn’t see him flick Emilio Izaguirre in the face in a petulant handbags moment.
When the Honduras defence parted accommodatingly at the start of the second half for Villa to thrash home his second, via a slight deflection off the hapless Chavez, one feared Honduras might experience real humiliation.
When Jesus Navas was brought down by Izaguirre, no wonder Villa scolded himself as he side footed the spot kick just wide of the right hand post.
By that time, though, it was already becoming little more than a glorified training exercise for Spain. Fabregas got a runout to replace the supreme Xavi and within about 10 seconds had rounded the keeper and had his shot scrambled off the line. Chances came and went but no matter; in this mood, Spain will be hanging around until the final.
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