Spain coach says changes paid off

STUTTGART, June 20: Three second-half changes helped Spain come from behind to beat Tunisia 3-1 in their World Cup Group H game coach Luis Aragones said.

''I knew it would be a very complicated and difficult game.

They caught us on the break in the first half and then shut up at the back and it was tremendously difficult for us to break through,'' Aragones told reporters yesterday.

''But in the second half we had a team with more touch and we were able to make more ground on the wings and then did more damage,'' he added.

''After Cesc (Fabregas) took a shot and Raul got the goal, it became much easier to open them up.'' Tunisia had taken the lead in the eighth minute through midfielder Joahar Mnari.

It took Spain until the 71st minute to equalise when Raul slid in his rebound from a shot by Fabregas. Both had come on at halftime and were joined by winger Joaquin 10 minutes later.

Spain's Fernando Torres sealed the win with two late goals.

''It was harder than we expected but it is important to win any way you can. Today the team showed spirit and did not get downhearted when they were behind,'' Torres told Spanish radio.

''As long as the strikers keep scoring we will progress in this tournament.'' Tunisia were left to bemoan the three late goals which killed off their hopes of an upset win.

''I am very disappointed, especially for the team and for Tunisia because we had good tactics, we were concentrating on their attacking game, but it all crumbled because of a single mistake,'' Tunisia coach Roger Lemerre said, referring to Raul's equaliser.

''All is not lost but we didn't win anything here either. The Ukraine game (on June 23) will be decisive, the route will be difficult, but we still have hope.''

REUTERS

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