Spaniards rout US in friendly

Posted Sunday, June 05, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

FOXBORO, Massachusetts (AFP) - Villarreal striker Santi Cazorla scored two first-half goals and reigning World Cup champion Spain routed the United States 4-0 on Saturday in an international football friendly.

Cazorla found the back of the net in the 28th and 41st minutes, each time while unmarked at the top of the penalty area and scoring off deadly centering passes from Manchester City playmaker David Silva.

Alvaro Negredo took a pass from Xabi Alonzo and raced through a struggling American defense to blast a goal past US goalkeeper Tim Howard in the 32nd minute.

Fernando Torres banked in a shot off the goalpost to his right from the heart of the penalty area in the 73rd minute to give Spain a 4-0 lead. Borja Valero split a defensive seam with a perfect lead pass to the Chelsea striker.

The Spaniards, who boasted six players from Champions League winners Barcelona, improved to 4-1 all-time against the Americans, who upset Spain 2-0 in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup semi-finals in South Africa in their last meeting.

The Americans were without star midfielder Landon Donovan, who felt ill but is expected to play when the Americans face Canada on Tuesday in Detroit for their North American CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament opener.

Mindful of the upcoming tournament, US coach Bob Bradley kept several regulars out of the starting lineup and Spain dominated the attack and tempo from the start.

The Spaniards had an early goal waved off on a questionable offside call and barely missed another when Negredo, who had 20 goals for Sevilla last season, chipped a shot over US captain Howard that went off the crossbar in the 12th minute.

Spanish World Cup hero David Villa, a Real Madrid standout, forced a tough save from Everton's Howard in the 16th minute as well. The Spaniards dominated ball possession with skillful passing and elusive movement away from the ball.