Group H
Spain 4, Ukraine 0It has taken just 90 minutes for Spain's World Cup landscape to change dramatically -- but after their 4-0 drubbing of debutants Ukraine, Spain coach Luis Aragones was not getting carried away.
Spain are traditionally regarded as the perennial underachievers in international soccer, having failed to get past the quarter-finals of the World Cup since 1950.
Known as a country of proud, autonomous regions where dialect, culture and identity can clash at all levels, Spain for once will have a chance to unite after their best ever start to the World Cup finals on Wednesday.
Aragones, a proud patriot who is known affectionately as the "Wise Man of Hortaleza," admitted that he possessed a team which was finally capable of breaking that 56-year jinx.
However the 67-year-old, who made his name as a powerful goalscoring midfielder with Atletico before going on to coach the Madrid club, has voiced caution before their anticipated march into the second round.
"We have extremely talented players in Spain and we're only just starting to use the right strategy to play well in the big competitions," Aragones said.
"With a bit of luck, we hope that will help us to go all the way and maybe win the World Cup," he said.
Liverpool's Xabi Alonso headed home from a corner in the 13th minute and they went in for the break 2-0 up after Valencia's David Villa fired home a freekick barely five minutes later.
Villa grabbed his second shortly after the restart from the penalty spot, and Fernando Torres -- of Aragones' former club Atletico Madrid -- struck a superb fourth goal after running on to a through ball in the area nine minutes from time.
Villa, who is part of the 4-3-3 formation with Torres and Liverpool's Luis Garcia, doubled his goals tally for Spain to four in less than a single match.
Besides their goals domination, Spain put in a commanding performance against a side which should have been more of a challenge having sailed through the qualifiers.
Even Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin was impressed: "I can't fault Spain. They played really well, especially their midfield."
Ukraine will be worried about the possibility of an early exit after their matches against Saudi Arabia and former African champions Tunisia.
Blokhin included star striker Andriy Shevchenko in the starting lineup, despite the Chelsea striker having doubts over his match fitness following a knee injury.
However it soon emerged that having three Shevchenkos on the pitch would have barely disrupted Spain's flowing, precise passing game.
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