Superb Spain inflict Ukraine pain

Spain confirmed themselves as contenders for the FIFA World Cup with an emphatic victory in their Group H opener against Ukraine, who suffered a torrid start to their first final tournament as an independent nation as they ended up with ten men. Spanish dominance Both teams began with their most-capped squad members - Raúl González and Serhiy Rebrov - on the bench, Spain coach Luis Aragonés opting for David Villa alongside Fernando Torres. And within 17 minutes Spain were 2-0 up. First Marcos Senna s long-range effort forced Ukraine goalkeeper Olexandr Shovkovskiy to tip over and Xabi Alonso turned in the resultant corner. Then a Villa free-kick deflected off the jumping wall and gave Shovkovskiy no chance. Dominant Spain nearly made it three just before half-time when Torres sent through Villa but Shovkovskiy blocked at the near post. Villa penalty Ukraine coach Oleh Blokhin made a couple of half-time substitutions but within two minutes Vladyslav Vaschuk was ruled to have pulled down Torres in the box; the defender was sent off by Swiss referee Massimo Busacca and Villa converted the penalty. Both goalscorers were withdrawn for the last 35 minutes, with Raúl among those brought on. Though Andriy Voronin did go close with a curling effort, not even the arriving Rebrov could help ease Ukraine s plight and in the final ten minutes Torres finished a flowing Spain move with an emphatic shot. Without the suspended Vaschuk, Ukraine encounter Saudi Arabia in Hamburg on Monday before Spain meet Tunisia in Stuttgart. Grp H Tunisia 2-2 Saudi Arabia Grp A Germany 1-0 Poland