Santi Cazorla and Cesc Fabregas scored goals in the opening half for world champions Spain, who beat Puerto Rico 2-1, stretching their unbeaten streak to 12 straight matches.
It marked the first match for Spain since winning back-to-back European Championship titles last month.
Cazorla scored in the 42nd minute and Fabregas added a second goal in the 45th with a low volley on Wednesday.
Photo: Reuters
Marc Cintron scored 19 minutes into the second half for Puerto Rico as he beat Spanish goalkeeper Pepe Reina.
Gerard Pique almost opened the scoring for La Roja in the 12th minute, but his header off a corner kick from Cazorla had goalkeeper Bill Gaudette beat, but it ringed off the post.
Atletico Madrid fullback Juan Francisco Torres — known as Juanfran — had to leave the game in the first half with a right knee injury.
Cazorla scored his goal on a low drive that took a hop before it reached Gaudette. He entered the game as a replacement for Xavi Hernandez and will soon be making his debut for Arsenal FC in the English Premier League.
Fabregas made it 2-0 with a nice volley off a center from Jesus Navas.
Spain allowed a goal for the first time in five matches when Cintron rose above Sergio Ramos to head the ball past Reina halfway through the second half.
Spain easily held on for the win from there against heavy underdogs Puerto Rico, who are ranked 138th in the world, compared with No. 1 Spain.
Twelve days after winning her second Grand Slam title at the French Open, Coco Gauff fell at the first hurdle on grass in Berlin on Thursday as beaten Paris finalist Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the quarter-finals. Recipient of a first round bye, American Gauff lost 6-3, 6-3 to Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu as world number one Sabalenka beat Rebeka Masarova 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) in her second round tie. Winner of 10 main tour titles, including the US Open in 2023 and the WTA Finals last year, Gauff has yet to lift a trophy in a grass-court tournament. “After I won the first
Sergio Ramos on Tuesday outfoxed two Inter players and artfully headed home the first goal for Monterrey at the FIFA Club World Cup. The 39-year-old Ramos slipped through the penalty area for the score just as he did for so many years in the shirts of Real Madrid and Spain’s national team, with whom he combined smarts, timing and physicality. Ramos’ clever goal and his overall defensive play at the Rose Bowl were major factors in Monterrey’s impressive 1-1 draw against the UEFA Champions League finalists in the clubs’ first match of the tournament. “There is always a joy to contribute to the
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka staged a “crazy comeback,” saving four match points before beating Elena Rybakina 7-6 (6), 3-6, 7-6 (6) in the quarter-finals of the Berlin Open on Friday. Sabalenka was 6-2 down in the final-set tie-breaker, but won six straight points to reach her eighth semi-final of the season. “Elena is a great player and we’ve had a lot of tough battles,” Sabalenka said. “I have no idea how I was able to win those last points. I think I just got lucky.” “I remember a long time ago when I was just starting, I won a lot of matches being down
While British star Jack Draper spent the past week trying to find rhythm and comfort in his first grass tournament of the season at the Queen’s Club Championships in London, Jiri Lehecka on Saturday bulldozed everything in his path. After more than two furious hours of battle, their form was reflected in the final scoreline as Lehecka toppled a frustrated Draper, the second seed, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 to reach the biggest final of his career, against Carlos Alcaraz. Lehecka is also the first Czech to reach the men’s title match at Queen’s since Ivan Lendl lifted the trophy in 1990. Draper, who
RSS