FOOTBALL NEWS FROM Euro 2012
World champions show their class
Tweet
Spain enjoyed a comfortable win over an under-strength United States in a friendly in Foxborough.

Santi Cazorla scored either side of an Alvaro Negredo strike as Spain went 3-0 up in the first half, and half-time substitute Fernando Torres wrapped things up midway through the second half.

The United States, missing the likes of Landon Donovan and Carlos Bocanegra as they played only three days before launching their Gold Cup campaign, looked overawed in the early stages as Spain piled forward.

Negredo fired over before Sergio Ramos and then Cazorla both had good chances but missed the target. Negredo then struck the crossbar with a shot from the edge of the area before David Villa wasted another chance.

The breakthrough came in the 28th minute as David Silva pulled the ball back from the left byline and Cazorla ran on to it to smash a superb finish into the top left-hand corner.

Four minutes later it was 2-0 with a long ball from Xabi Alonso finding the run of Negredo who escaped the defenders before a neat finish.

Silva shot straight at Tim Howard before the hosts' best chance came five minutes before the break. A bouncing ball caught out Gerard Pique and it fell for Robbie Rogers in the area, but he dragged his left-footed shot wide on the turn.

And moments later, they were 3-0 down as Silva broke incisively down the left again. His pull-back was intended for Villa, but after the Barcelona man slipped, Cazorla ran through to fire home.

Both sides made several changes at the break with up to six substitutions allowed, and the second half got off to a more subdued start.

Silva fired wide from long range early on, but there was not a clear chance until the 64th minute when Torres - who replaced Villa - wasted a great chance in a moment reminiscent of his struggles at Chelsea.

Having been slipped in beyond the last man, he hesitated, allowing Howard to close the angle, before his chipped shot went wide.

There were flashes for the United States, with Clint Dempsey's shot deflected wide for a corner from which Tim Ream headed wide.

Chris Wondolowski was beginning to cause problems for the Spanish defence but it was the visitors who struck with Torres this time showing quick feet to poke home after being released by Borja Valero.

The game petered out from there with Joan Capdevila's wayward header from a late free-kick as close as either side went.