Today plays host to a late match between Spain and Honduras in Johannesburg at Ellis Park. After a shocking defeat against Switzerland, the pre-tournament favourites from Spain require a definitive win against Honduras, and the same goes for the latter team, who are looking to shock Spain and surprise the world as a formidable unit. If Chile and Switzerland play to a draw, and Honduras manages a win—the Spanish squad will be out of the 2010 tournament.
A poll on the popular skysports website confirms that almost 80% of people believe that Spain will win the match. This is in accordance with the fact that they controlled the ball for most of the match against the Swiss, although were still unable to secure a victory.
The loss was its second in a previous 49 games, a result which speaks for itself.
Spain is confident that its recent disappointment was only a bad day, and that they can live up to being billed a tournament favourite. But they may have to do it without midfielder Andres Iniesta, who injured his right leg against the Swiss.
“We have to go out with a lot of desire and a lot of respect because we know it won't be easy,” said Puyol, who doesn't believe his team is guilty of looking beyond the initial stages. “I don't think we lacked respect for anybody.”
There is also the question of whether head coach Vincente del Bosque will bring Fernando Torres back to the starting line up. Next to forward David Villa, Torres could provide an extra punch that was obviously lacking against the Swiss.
“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. “The most important thing is not to allow anxiety to overwhelm us if minutes pass and we are not able to score.”
Not surprisingly, as the Globe and Mail point out, Spain has encountered criticism following the Swiss defeat, much of it directed at the coach. Former coach Luis Aragones, who led Spain to a 2008 European title, said del Bosque shouldn’t have played two holding midfielders—Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets—and only Villa up front. “You have to respect everyone's opinion, especially his,” Puyol said of Aragones. “When you don't win you've done something poorly. You always have to improve but I don't think we did things badly.”
There have also been many who argue the Spanish team should change its type of play. This has been adamantly rejected by the squad, who insist there be no changes to the team’s possession based, quick-touch game that has become so notable.
“We're not going to change much about the style of our game, which has taken us this far after these two years and even before that,” Del Bosque said on Sunday. “We just need to show better finish in front of goal.”
Precautionary, Honduras coach Reinaldo Rueda is expecting an eager and formidable opponent in the Spanish squad. He said recently that the Honduran team should “not be distracted by the (Swiss) result. As one of the favourites and having lost their first game, Spain will be even more determined.”
Rueda, who returns after serving a touchline ban in the match against Chile, will be hoping that his main striker David Suazo has fully recovered from the right thigh injury and able to play a part in the match against Spain.
Honduras captain Amado Guevara has also urged his team to play for a "famous victory" against a Spanish team who are "not invincible". Indeed as the Swiss, team determined, they aren’t.
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