PIRLO: 'I'm going much better'

6/8/2010

MILAN - Here are the declarations made by Milan and Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo to Milanese sports daily 'La Gazzetta dello Sport' after the calf injury he suffered just days before the South African World Cup. "I am doing much better. In these days I've been cured and the pain has lessened. The lesion is turning into a scar. The situation is encouraging. Nothing compared to the tear I suffered last year with Milan. Now I am more confident, although the recover times will be defined later."

Spain 6-0 Poland: Six-star Spaniards sign off in superb style

 from;  http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2890/world-cup-2010/2010/06/08/1965800/spain-6-0-poland-six-star-spaniards-sign-off-in-superb-style

By Paul Madden

Clinical display obliterates Poles in devastating fashion...

8 Jun 2010 23:38:00

Silva, Villa, Iniesta, Xavi, España, Polonia (Getty Images)

Spain produced a mesmerising display as they vanquished Poland in their final World Cup warm-up game in Murcia.

Leading by two at the break thanks to early goals from David Villa and David Silva, the European champions continued after the break with a masterful display of finishing as Xabi Alonso and substitutes Cesc Fabregas, Pedro and Fernando Torres all got on the score sheet.

La Furia Roja certainly saved the best until last in terms of pre-tournament performances, producing a series of sublime, slick passing moves as they dominated proceedings from the outset.

In the possession stakes Vicente del Bosque's men were entirely in control as Xavi and the excellent Silva carved their way through the Poles at will.

The breakthrough came shortly after the ten minute mark when the lively Andres Iniesta found himself in acres of space down the left. The dynamic Barcelona midfielder angled an inch perfect cross with the outside of his right boot into the path of new club-mate Villa who slotted home from close range for his 38th goal in a Spain shirt.

Spain then found themselves two in front two minutes later after an excellent interchange involving Villa, Iniesta and Xavi who sneaked inside the Polish defence before squaring to Silva to hand the in-demand Valencia star the simplest of tasks.

Both goals typified Spain's unselfish team ethic and set the tone for the remainder of their first half endeavours as they continued to probe deep in opposition territory.

The resistance from the Poles ranged from resolute to desperate at times as they rode their luck trying to play for offside against Spain's near perfect movement in attack.

With Iniesta in fine form on the left and Silva in a similar vein on the right, neither channel provided much respite for Franciszek Smuda's charges and through the middle was also proving fruitless as a wall of red snuffed out any attempted attack. One early long range strike from Robert Lewandowski was as much as they could muster in terms of an attacking threat as Spain's superiority was never in doubt.

Xavi and Silva made way ten minutes after the interval but not before the Barcelona man worked a well rehearsed free kick to Xabi Alonso, who slotted home from the edge of the box, although the ball did take a horrid deflection on its way past Tomasz Kuszczak.

Cesc Fabregas, on for Xavi, made it 4-0 just three minutes after coming on, making a trademark burst into the penalty box before coolly placing the ball beyond the hapless Kuszczak.

Fernando Torres was introduced to a rapturous reception for the final half hour and looked sharp as he begins his comeback from a knee injury. Even after making six changes la Furia Roja were in complete control of the game and added a fifth with a quarter of an hour remaining as Torres got on the end of Pedro's cross to fire home to rubber stamp his return to fitness.

Five minutes later Torres again had the Poles in a bind at the back as Kuszczak and Maciej Sadlok tried to intervene, allowing Pedro to pounce on the loose ball and loft a clever chip over the goalkeeper to seal Spain's sixth.

There was still time for substitute Jesus Navas to sting the palms of Kuszczak from distance and the Polish 'keeper was called into action to save from a Gerard Pique header from the resulting corner as the onslaught of attack from the Spaniards continued unabated.

After a devastating display of possession football and quality finishing it is easy to see why the Spaniards are amongst the favourites for glory in South Africa and surely there are few that can stop Del Bosque's men in this kind of form.