The Spanish Under-21 team recently captured their fourth European Under-21 championship, defeating Italy 4-2 to bring home the trophy and while the future of Spanish national football is certainly bright, the current senior squad also continues to play well as they're in pursuit of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup title. Spain won the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 Euro Cup so a winning pedigree certainly follows them as they continue to participate in the CONFED Cup and World Cup qualifying.
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Beginning the tournament with a tough 2-1 victory over a talented Uruguay squad, Spain set themselves up with an opportunity to advance to the cup semifinals. Preparing to take on Group B opponent Tahiti - who will enter following a miserable 6-1 loss to Nigeria in their opener - the Spaniards are in prime position to claim 3 more points while increasing their chances of winning another trophy.
When and Where to Watch Confederations Cup Match
Spain and Tahiti will meet in a Group B match-up on Thursday, June 20th. Scheduled to begin at 2:45pm, EDT, the match can be seen on both the ESPN television network and UniMas TV. An on-line live stream will also be offered through WatchESPN beginning at 2:45pm, EDT.
Team Preview - Spain
Currently leading Europe's Group I in World Cup qualifying by 1 point over France, Spain continues to play well as they look to make a strong run at next summer's World Cup, a tournament they'll enter as defending champions. As far as the current Confederations Cup is concerned, the Spanish nationals started the tournament in solid fashion, disposing of Uruguay 2-1 in a game they probably could've taken by a wider margin. Heading into the match-up with a Tahiti team that surrendered 6 goals in a loss to Nigeria, Spain has to feel pretty good about their chances of picking up another 3 points, especially if they can continue to dominate their opponents like they did for much of the Uruguay contest.
"We dominated at all times with the exception of when we struggled and let in a goal," Spain manager Vicente Del Bosque said to reporters after the 2-1 victory. "At the end of 90 minutes, we were happy to hear the final whistle. We should have scored more and maybe we were tired, and also as a result of winning 2-0, that affects the players. They start to slow down, and that is why we suffered at the end."
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If Spain is able to score more goals against a weak Tahiti defensive unit, their continued offensive run could certainly propel them into a dominant run through this tournament, World Cup qualifying and the eventual 2014 World Cup games in Brazil. Goals from Pedro (20') and Roberto Soldado (32') proved to be enough for the defending World Cup champions against Uruguay in their CONFED Cup opener. Able to fire off 16 shots, including 9 that made their way toward the goal, Spain will certainly look to overload the Tahiti defense with their tremendous firepower.
Surrendering a late goal to star Uruguayan star Luis Suarez in the 88th minute was the only blemish on an otherwise strong performance by the Spanish defense. Their ability to control game pace on both ends of the field should suit them well heading into their next match.
Team Preview - Tahiti
While Spain was enjoying a victory in their opening match in the CONFED Cup, Tahiti battled through their fair share of struggles for 90-plus minutes against Nigeria. Winners of the 2012 OFC Nations Cup, Tahiti may not be the most talented team in the eight-team Confederations Cup field but the effort is clearly noticeable from start to finish.
Surrendering a trio of goals to Nigerian star Nnamdi Oduamadi at the 10', 26' and 76-minute marks, Tahiti was never able to sustain any offensive momentum and struggled mightily on the defensive end to slow the Nigerians. Along with Oduamadi, Nigeria padded their lead with tallies by Nicolas Vallar (5'), Jonathan Tehau (69') and Uwa Echiejile (80') and never looked back.
Despite their constant struggles, Tahiti was able to get on the board in the 54th-minute when Jonathan Tehau took a corner feed from Marama Vahirua and quickly blasted a header between the pipes, sending the Tahiti faithful into a loud celebration despite the fact that their team was down in the contest.
The club's biggest test will come Thursday against a Spain squad capable of scoring in bunches while playing shutdown defense. An experienced Spain team going up against a Tahiti team with only one professional player could spell trouble for the underdogs but don't expect Tahiti to go down without an energetic fight.
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Wrap-Up
Be sure to catch all the action between Spain and Tahiti on Thursday, June 20th. The match will start at 2:45pm, EDT with television coverage available through the ESPN and UniMas networks. An on-line live stream can also be found by visiting WatchESPN.
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