Spain Beats Ukraine 4-0 in World Cup

By ERICA BULMAN

LEIPZIG, Germany – Spain overpowered Ukraine 4-0 Wednesday in Group H of the World Cup – the biggest margin of victory so far at this year’s tournament.

Xabi Alonso scored the first goal in the 13th minute with a header from a corner. David Villa made it 2-0 four minutes later by deflecting the ball off the Ukrainian wall on a free kick.

Villa scored again in the 47th from the penalty spot after Fernando Torres was brought down by Vladyslav Vashchyuk, who was ejected for pulling his opponent’s shorts and tripping him.

Torres scored a fourth with a powerful right-footer, rounding off a sweeping move that started with Carles Puyol on the halfway line.

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Lineups:

Spain: Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Carles Puyol, Pablo Ibanez, Mariano Pernia, Marcos Senna, Xabi Alonso (David Albelda, 55th), Xavi Hernandez, Luis Garcia (Cesc Fabregas, 77th), Fernando Torres, David Villa (Raul Gonzalez, 55th).

Ukraine: Oleksander Shovkovsky, Volodymyr Yesersky, Andriy Rusol, Vladyslav Vashchyuk, Andriy Nesmachny, Oleg Gusev (Andriy Vorobey, 46th), Andriy Gusin (Oleg Shelayev, 46th), Anatoly Tymoshchyuk, Ruslan Rotan (Serhiy Rebrov, 64th), Andriy Voronin, Andriy Shevchenko.