Spain Beats South Africa 3-2 to Top World Cup Group B

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, June 13, 2002

Spain Beats South Africa 3-2 to Top World Cup Group B

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Spain upset South Africa 3-2 in their last group B match at the 2002 World Cup finals here on Wednesday, topping the group with nine points and kicking the Africans out of the premier soccer tournament.

So far, Spain is the only team winning all the three group matches to advance to the second round of the tournament. AlthoughSouth Africa received the same points of four and the same goal difference of 0 with their group mate Paraguay, the Africans crashed out of the group for short of one positive goal. Paraguay,who routed Slovenia 3-1 in this evening, became the lucky survivorof the group alongside Spain. Slovenia were at the bottom of the group with three defeats.

Although Spain sent eight bench players onto the pitch against South Africa this evening, they showed a brilliant technical football and wonderful teamwork.

Taking advantage of a fatal mistake by South Africa's goalkeeper Andre Arendse who saved a shot but accidentally let theball slip off his hands, Spain's ace forward Raul cruised into thenet with the ball, giving his team a 1-0 lead only four minutes into action.

South Africa's striker Benni McCarthy challenged with Spain's goalkeeper Iker Casillas to collect a goal, leveling the score at 1-1 in the 31st minute.

In the injury time of the first half, Spain's midfielder GaizkaMendieta scored a goal through his brilliant curling free kick, lifting his team into a lead again. Goalkeeper Arendse did not even react toward the free kick which directly flew into the top-right corner of the goal.

In the 53rd, South Africa's Lucas Radebe's close-range header helped his team draw 2-2 with Spain. But only after three minutes,Raul returned a heading goal to send Spain to a 3-2 lead.

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