RIO DE JANEIRO — Fernando Torres scored four goals and David Villa grabbed three as Spain completed a resounding Confederations Cup football win over Tahiti on Thursday night.
BBC Sport
Chelsea’s Torres beat Tahiti goalkeeper Mikael Roche and waltzed past Roche again after David Silva’s finish.
Villa then scored either side of half-time before the Spanish forwards sealed their hat-tricks from crosses.
Juan Mata made it 8-0 and Torres ran in a fourth after missing a penalty before Silva pinched a second late on.
Spain are not assured of their place in the semi-final just yet but they look odds-on to reach the last four after this record win in the competition.
And although the scoreline marked the gulf in class between the two sides, Tahiti once again won new fans with their willingness to get on the scoresheet rather than defend in numbers. The defeat matched a record loss for the South Pacific islanders, who lost by the same scoreline against New Zealand in 2004, but their endeavour and undoubted class made this occasion far more than a straightforward thumping. Tahiti qualified by becoming the first team other than Australia and New Zealand to win the Oceania Cup last June.
