Friendly international

Spain 2 - Uruguay 0

Spain: Reina; Michel Salgado (Sergio Ramos 60'), Marchena, Puyol, Del Horno (Antonio López 72'); Xabi Alonso (Sergio 46'), Xavi; Joaquín (Luis García 60'), Raúl (Luque 69'), Vicente; Morientes (Fernando Torres 46'). 4-2-3-1.
Uruguay: Carini; Varela (Diego Pérez 78'), Diego López, Sorondo, Rodríguez; Estoyanoff (Regueiro 46'), Pablo García, Delgado (Oscar Morales 60'), Castro (Recoba 46'); Chengue Morales (Zabaleta 71'), Diego Forlán (Tejera 66'). 4-4-2.

Goals:
1-0. 25. Pablo García (own goal). Deflected Vicente cross past own keeper.
2-0. 37. Vicente (penalty). After Raúl pushed down in area by Diego López.

Spain made it twelve games in a row without defeat after beating Uruguay 2-0 in Gijón. Luis Aragonés was missing only the injured Casillas, and the manager gave a first cap to Reina, with Barcelona's Víctor Valdés called up for the first time in reserve. The Liverpool keeper had virtually no work at all though, the South Americans' only effort in the first half a volley from Diego Forlán which went just wide. A few minutes earlier Vicente had tested Carini for the first time with a free kick, and the Valencia winger set up the opening goal midway through the first half, his jinking run ending with a cross which Real Madrid's Pablo García deflected past his own keeper. And before the break Spain were two up, Vicente converting a penalty after Raúl had been pushed over in the area by Diego López.

There were usual round of changes in the second half, both managers using up their limit of six substitutions. Sergio came on and had a shot saved by Carini almost immediately, and Reina finally got into the action tipping away a dangerous cross from Recoba. But almost all the chances came again from the Spaniards, Carini keeping out efforts from Raúl and Luque, Xavi firing a shot against the bar after a free kick was blocked, and Luque and Luis García both missing sitters right at the end. It could have been better, but a good run out before the next friendly against Canada and then the vital World Cup qualifier against Serbia. That's the one that matters.