Over 1 million pilgrims benefit from golf cart service at Grand Mosque during Ramadan    Visitors welcomed with Eid initiative at Thee Ain Heritage Village in Al-Baha    Tebuk emir reviews rain response in Tayma    Saudi Arabia considers rent cap as part of major real estate reforms    Messi's bodyguard banned from touchline at Inter Miami games    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Le Pen vows to appeal political ban, calls verdict a 'denial of democracy'    Death toll from Myanmar earthquake rises to 2,719 as rescue efforts continue    Russia, Ukraine trade blame over new energy strikes    Putin orders Russia's largest military call-up in over a decade    Albania hosts MWL chief for Eid sermon at largest mosque in the Balkans    Haramain High-Speed Railway transports over 1.2 million passengers during Ramadan    Saudi Transport Authority says passengers can ride for free if taxi meters are off    Ministry of Education forms 425 community partnerships with SR653 million impact    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Saudi creatives shine at Jeddah's Fawanees Nights with art, fashion, and storytelling    T1 CEO confirms Gumayusi's return for LCK Spring after lineup shakeup    100 Thieves claim Marvel Rivals Invitational NA crown as 2025 scene heats up    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Saudi Arabia hold Japan to goalless draw in Saitama to stay in World Cup hunt    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Spain confident despite surprise Swiss defeat
By Iain Rogers
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 21 - 06 - 2010

Spain is optimistic that a shock 1-0 defeat by Switzerland in its Group H opener will stun the European champion into action for its second match against Honduras Monday.
“The loss helps to show you that there are no easy matches, that every team at a World Cup will make it hard for you,” defender Raul Albiol told a news conference Saturday.
“The favorites are not winning,” he added, in reference to defeats for France and Germany against Mexico and Serbia respectively and England's surprise draw with unfancied Algeria.
“If you look at past World Cups, we have often seen teams that start off losing go on to win the final.”
Coach Vicente del Bosque was criticized by his predecessor Luis Aragones, among others, for fielding a cautious 4-5-1 formation against the Swiss.
He may switch to a more ambitious 4-4-2 lineup Monday, with fit-again Fernando Torres partnering strike partner David Villa up front.
Spain dominated possession against the Swiss but failed to take its chances and suffered only its second defeat in 3-1/2 years following a 2-0 loss to the United States at the Confederations Cup in South Africa last June.
That defeat deprived it of a place in the final against Brazil but if it finishes second in Group H it could play the five-time champion in the last 16.
Del Bosque, who is not known for making sweeping tactical changes, told As newspaper Saturday if there were alterations to the starting 11 against Honduras they would be minimal.
“We have to reestablish ourselves, gain confidence and believe in what has given us so much success in the past,” the 59-year-old said. “We expect (Honduras) to close ranks but, on the other hand, they have to open up at some point and those spaces are what we have to take advantage of,” he added.
“This team has had fabulous runs of form and now we are going for six wins. This is the message I have been sending to the players. There is no point in looking back only forwards.
“The positive side of this setback is that it's better to fail at the start than at the end,” he added. He may have been thinking of the 2006 World Cup in Germany when Spain won all three of its group matches, including a 4-0 thrashing of Ukraine in its first game, before losing to eventual runner-up France in the second round.
Honduras coach Reinaldo Rueda expects the wounded Spanish to come out fighting but said if his players work together they can cause another upset that would leave Spain's hopes of winning a first World Cup in tatters.
“These games (the Switzerland defeat) happen, just like they lost to the United States a year ago,” Rueda said Friday.
“They're the strongest squad in the world but we don't fear any one player,” he added. “Collectively they are strong but if we work together we can overcome them. If we don't think we can win we may as well not play.”


Clic here to read the story from its source.