Friendly international

Spain 3 - Venezuela 2

Spain: Cañizares; Salgado, Puyol, Iván Helguera, Romero; Víctor (Joaquín 70'), Albelda (Xabi Alonso 63'), Baraja (Valerón 46'), Vicente (Reyes 46'); Raúl, Morientes (Fernando Torres 46'). 4-4-2.
Venezuela: Angelucci (Rafa Ponzo 75'); Vielma (De Ornelas 75'), Rey, Cichero, Jonay Hernández (Rondón 64'); Jiménez, Vera (Andrés González 64'), Páez (Rouga 72'), Urdaneta, Rojas; Margiotta (Castellín 67'). 4-5-1.

Goals:
1-0. 41. Morientes. Got on end of Salgado cross to sweep ball into net.
1-1. 45. Rojas. Shot from outside area which bounced wide of Cañizares.
2-1. 56. Tamudo. Soft far post header into empty net from Víctor's corner.
3-1. 66. Tamudo. Diving header past keeper from long centre by Reyes.
3-2. 91. Castellín. Cut into area and hit low shot past Cañizares.

Luis Aragonés started his reign as Spain's new boss with a win at the Gran Canaria stadium in Las Palmas, although Venezuela put up a plucky fight in the end. The veteran manager included Cañizares, Romero and Víctor in his starting line up, but it was not until five minutes before the break that they took the lead, Morientes sweeping in Salgado's cross from close to goal. The South Americans levelled the scores though on the stroke of half time when Rojas caught Cañizares by surprise with a long shot. Aragonés made four attacking changes at the interval, and Espanyol's Tamudo headed two goals, the first from Víctor's corner and the second from a Reyes cross. Venezuela pulled one back though in injury time from Castellín.