Del Bosque urges Spain to be ruthless

SundaySpain 2 - 1 UruguayMexico 1 - 2 ItalyRECIFE. Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque criticised his players for not scoring more goals during a sublime first half against Uruguay and said that profligacy caused some heart flutters at the end of their 2-1 Confederations Cup victory on Sunday.“We dominated at all times with the exception of when we struggled and let in a goal,” del Bosque said. “At the end of the 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.”Spain completely outclassed Uruguay in a first half, during which they held 78 per cent of the possession, with Pedro and Roberto Soldado scoring goals.Uruguay came back into the game in the second period but they rarely threatened Iker Casillas and Luis Suarez’s goal in the 88th minute put a misleading complexion on the final result.His Uruguayan counterpart Oscar Tabarez did not disagree with that assessment and looked resigned at the press conference, stating that Spain were superior at all times. “They were well worth their victory,” Tabarez said.Uruguay now face Nigeria in Salvador on Thursday and with Tahiti not expected to provide much of a challenge for the other sides, Tabarez said his team’s tournament future will now depend on securing a result against the Africans.Balotelli gives Pirlo-inspired Italy winMario Balotelli scored the winner and Andrea Pirlo, capping a majestic 100th international appearance by scoring with a 30-metre free kick, provided the inspiration as Italy beat Mexico 2-1 in their opening Confederations Cup match on Sunday.Pirlo’s goal was entirely worthy of the hallowed Maracana, which provided the perfect stage as he became the fifth Italian to reach a century of full internationals.The 34-year-old brought the fickle and notoriously difficult-to-please Maracana crowd to its feet as he curled the ball over the wall and into the top corner in the 27th minute from distance.The crowd chanted Pirlo’s name before and after the goal, the rarest honour for a foreign player on a stage previously graced by the likes of Garrincha, Pele, Zico and Romario.“I don’t have words to describe Pirlo, he’s an example to everyone,” Italy coach Cesare Prandelli told reporters. Javier Hernandez had replied for Mexico with a penalty seven minutes after Pirlo’s masterpiece.

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Del Bosque urges Spain to be ruthless