Fernando Torres returned to action with his country’s fifth goal in their 6-0 thrashing of Poland in the last game of their World Cup preparations. The striker played the final 25 minutes, grabbing his goal on 79 minutes, and playing an important part in his side’s sixth.

Del Bosque’s side started strongly as Dudka own goal converted Iniesta’s cross to open the scoring. Spain doubled their lead barely two minutes later. Iniesta played an excellent chipped pass into the path of Xavi. The midfielder unselfishly played the ball to an un-marked Silva who had the simple job of slotting home. Peszko had Poland’s first and only effort on target on 25 minutes with a right-foot strike which Casillas did well to turn around the post.

David Villa had Spain’s first shot after the break, firing into the side netting from an acute angle. The Poles, who were struggling to keep up with the host’s slick passing, were very soon three-nil down.

A cleverly worked free-kick from Xavi found Xabi Alonso in space. The former Red’s shot took a slight deflection off Dudka before nestling in the back of the net.

Xabi Alonso turned from scorer to provider assisting Cesc Fabregas for Spain’s fourth. The Arsenal player finished with a shot across the onrushing Poland keeper.

Fernando Torres started warming-up ten minutes into the second-half, and after stretching for ten minutes, the forward took off his tracksuit before getting ready to come on. The wait was finally over, as the Spain number ‘9’ entered the fray on 66 minutes.

The striker came on to chants of ‘Torres, Torres’ as the fans at the Nueva Condomina Stadium welcomed the forward back from injury. His operation on his injured right meniscus was now a thing of the past.

The Kid didn’t have to wait long to grab a goal against the Polish outfit. The forward latched onto a Pedro cross, beating Kuszcak with a first-time shot into the corner. All of the players on the pitch, and also those who were sat in the dug-out, celebrated Fernando’s strike as the number ‘9’ put his injury worries firmly behind him.

There was still time for a sixth as Torres was denied by Kuszcak, but there was Pedro on hand to lob the ball goalwards. Although the Poland keeper managed to claw the ball away, Pedro’s shot had already crossed the line.

Torres with a header and Ramos with a snap-shot came close to adding more goals as Spain signed-off their World Cup preparations with an excellent all-round performance.



- Match Stats: Spain 6-0 Poland

Spain: Casillas, Arbeloa (Ramos, 55), Pique, Puyol (Marchena, 72), Capdevila, Xabi Alonso, Xavi (Cesc, 55), Busquets, Silva (Navas, 55), Iniesta (Pedro, 39), David Villa (Torres 66)

Goals: Dudka 11 (o.g.), Silva 13, Xabi Alonso 52, Cesc 57, Torres 79, Pedro 82

Poland: Salen Kuszcak, Dudka, Zewlakow, Glik, Wojtkowiak, Murawski, Peszko (Jodlowiec, 77), Mierzejewski, Lewandowsky (Sobiech, 67), Blasczykowski, Novak.