Spain have taken a 1-0 lead into half-time against Saudi Arabia’s Al Sugour in the last match in Group H, with Juanito scoring from a beautifully placed free-kick from Jose Antonio Reyes.

Spain started the match with eleven changes to the team that started against Tunisia, the only player in the whole 23-man squad not having featured being Liverpool keeper Jose ‘Pepe’ Reina.

The game started very slowly, with Spain not too concerned about attacking, and Saudi Arabia still getting a feel for their opponents.

The best move of the first-half was a great piece of build-up play from Spain, resulting in Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas playing the ball square to Albelda, who struck well from 18-yards and forced a good save from Mabrouk Zaid.

Joachin had another shot for Spain tipped over the bar minutes later as Spain started to take control of the match.

It was a matter of time before Spain got a breakthrough, and it came in the 36th minute after Jose Antonio Reyes was fouled on the wing.

The Arsenal man took the free-kick, which he whipped into the box, perfectly met by Gutierrez Juanito in the penalty-area and he headed the ball past Zaid to make it 1-0.

Spain weren’t pressing too hard, but were keeping possession well, with cries of Olé ringing from the crowd.

Reyes made a break in the last minutes of the half, but there was no-one to support him and he had to have a shot on goal himself, which was parried away by Zaid, but still the Saudi’s couldn’t find a way through the Spanish defence and never troubled Canizares in goal.

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