Spain 1-1 Switzerland

Ricardo Rodriguez equalises for Switzerland — AC Milan left-back Ricardo Rodriguez, scored only his fourth goal for Switzerland on his 51st international appearance

Spain were held to a 1-1 draw by Switzerland in the first of their two warm-up games for the World Cup.

The Spanish, who thrashed Argentina 6-1 in March, had threatened to win at a canter when Alvaro Odriozola's 20-yard volley put them ahead in Villarreal.

But the Swiss, who were second best for long periods, capitalised on a mistake by Spain keeper David de Gea, Ricardo Rodriguez tapping in an equaliser.

Spain play Tunisia on Saturday, while Switzerland take on Japan on Friday.

Despite fielding an experimental line-up, without any of the Real Madrid players that won the Champions League final just over a week ago, Spain remain unbeaten under head coach Julen Lopetegui.

The 51-year-old who replaced Vicente del Bosque in 2016, has won 13 and drawn six of his 19 games in charge, to retain the longest current unbeaten streak in international football.

Experience counts

Eight years ago Switzerland sprung a surprise by defeating Spain in Durban during the opening game of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

And this match followed a similar script. Spain dominated possession and chances but ultimately were denied the victory that their performance merited.

Fielding three of the survivors of the squad that recovered to win their next six matches to become World Champions for the first time, the Spanish rapidly took control.

Two of that trio, Andres Iniesta and David Silva orchestrated the play and Thiago Alcantara and Silva both spurned chances to score before Odriozola's goal.

While the substitutions of Silva and Iniesta - around the hour mark - loosened Spain's grip on the game, they were close to mustering a late winning goal with Nacho Fernandez hitting the post and heading wide.

The Spanish now tackle England's Group G opponents Tunisia on 9 June in Krasnodar, their base for the finals this summer.

Lopetegui's side begin the tournament against Portugal on 15 June - the first time the nations will have met since the Euro 2012 semi-final, which Spain won on penalties.

The 2010 winners then play Iran on 20 June before completing their Group B schedule against Morocco on 25 June.

Switzerland remain rank outsiders

For most of this encounter it was all about containment for Switzerland who rarely had the ball for long enough to trouble Spain.

However, they remain obdurate opponents with goalkeeper Yann Sommer's fine display typifying a defiant defensive effort.

Switzerland now face fellow finalists Japan in Lugano on Friday in readiness for their opening Group E fixture against Brazil on 17 June.

The Swiss, sixth in Fifa's world rankings but 100/1 outsiders to lift the World Cup, will then take on Serbia on 22 June and Costa Rica on 27 June.

Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text

Line-ups

Spain

Formation 4-2-3-1

1De Gea
12OdriozolaSubstituted forNachoat 70'minutes
3Piqué
14Azpilicueta
18AlbaSubstituted forMonrealat 78'minutes
8Koke
10Thiago Alcántara
17Iago AspasSubstituted forVázquezat 45'minutes
6IniestaSubstituted forSaúlat 55'minutesBooked at 57mins
21SilvaSubstituted forAsensioat 60'minutes
19Diego CostaSubstituted forRodrigoat 60'minutes

Substitutes

4Nacho
7Saúl
9Rodrigo
11Vázquez
13Arrizabalaga
16Monreal
20Asensio
23Reina
24Vallejo
25Rodri
26Álvarez

Switzerland

Formation 4-2-3-1

1Sommer
2LichtsteinerSubstituted forLangat 63'minutes
22SchärSubstituted forDjourouat 45'minutes
5Akanji
13RodríguezSubstituted forMoubandjeat 78'minutes
11BehramiSubstituted forFernandesat 63'minutes
17Zakaria
23Shaqiri
15DzemailiSubstituted forEmboloat 45'minutes
14ZuberBooked at 89mins
9SeferovicSubstituted forDrmicat 45'minutes

Substitutes

3Moubandje
4Elvedi
6Lang
7Embolo
8Freuler
12Mvogo
16Fernandes
18Gavranovic
19Drmic
20Djourou
21Bürki
26Fernandes

Referee:: Istvan Kovacs
Attendance:: 18,350

Match Stats

Home TeamSpainAway TeamSwitzerland

Possession: Home65%; Away35%

Shots: Home18; Away5

Shots on Target: Home5; Away2

Corners: Home7; Away1

Fouls: Home13; Away11

Live Text

Post update
Match ends, Spain 1, Switzerland 1.
90'+3'
Full Time
Second Half ends, Spain 1, Switzerland 1.

90'+3'
Post update
Offside, Switzerland. Josip Drmic tries a through ball, but François Moubandje is caught offside.
90'+2'
Post update
Nacho Monreal (Spain) wins a free kick on the left wing.
90'+2'
Post update
Foul by Breel Embolo (Switzerland).
90'+2'
Post update
Attempt missed. Nacho (Spain) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Koke with a cross following a corner.
90'+1'
Post update
Corner, Spain. Conceded by Johan Djourou.
90'+1'
Post update
Attempt blocked. Rodrigo Moreno (Spain) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
90'+1'
Post update
Nacho (Spain) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the left side of the box. Assisted by Lucas Vázquez following a set piece situation.
90'
Post update
Attempt blocked. Marco Asensio (Spain) left footed shot from long range on the right is blocked.
89'
Booking
Steven Zuber (Switzerland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
89'
Post update
Koke (Spain) wins a free kick on the right wing.
89'
Post update
Foul by Steven Zuber (Switzerland).
88'
Post update
Thiago Alcántara (Spain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
88'
Post update
Foul by Josip Drmic (Switzerland).
86'
Post update
Attempt missed. Thiago Alcántara (Spain) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Nacho Monreal with a cross.
82'
Post update
Attempt saved. Rodrigo Moreno (Spain) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Lucas Vázquez.
78'
Substitution
Substitution, Switzerland. François Moubandje replaces Ricardo Rodríguez.
78'
Substitution
Substitution, Spain. Nacho Monreal replaces Jordi Alba.
76'
Post update
Jordi Alba (Spain) wins a free kick on the left wing.

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14 comments

Comment posted by devils advocate, at 08:25 4 Jun 2018
Brazilian Costa playing for Spain shows why international football is a joke.
Comment posted by Wylde Greeny, at 07:32 4 Jun 2018
The Swiss football team are so boring they make Mourinho's Man Utd look like Pep's Man City
Comment posted by Not a name, at 08:40 4 Jun 2018
At last - a chance to publish an opinion on the comparative merits of Swiss and Spanish football.
Errr ...
Comment posted by TonyR, at 09:15 4 Jun 2018
6. Posted by devils advocate

Please explain why is that a joke, also explain why it is OK for a non British native person to run for team GB.
Comment posted by DaveP1982, at 10:42 4 Jun 2018
8. its a joke because he'd represented Brazil a few years ago!! and in reply to the 2nd part of what you say in my opinion it isnt but thats how it is these days.. cricket athletics football tennis is awash with people representing countries that arent their true nationality.
Comment posted by Luke95, at 09:56 4 Jun 2018
IF this was England people would be acting as though it was the apocalypse...
Comment posted by Dave, at 07:53 4 Jun 2018
Switzerland are the Man Utd of international football, but without the occasional successes.

They will offer zero to this World Cup aside from sucking the joy out of the games they are in & I hope they crash out in the group stage.

I suppose at least they didn't have to get a dodgy penalty to score this time.
Comment posted by OLDMAN, at 18:35 4 Jun 2018
5. Sir Regulus you're obviously blind. Funny when asked who he thought the best player in the world was, David Silva said Iniesta. As for Spain, no quality forwards again. Costa hasn't got the intelligence, Aspace needs to play on the break and as for Rodrigo better than Morata?. Spain will play teams off the park and lose because they have no forwards of real quality.
Comment posted by Relax and Chill, at 13:05 4 Jun 2018
12. Squidlord
Spain should make it out their group they definitely have the quality to a least to do that. Not saying Spain will win the world cup.
Comment posted by WonderBeard, at 07:29 4 Jun 2018
An HYS on a friendly between two national teams, neither of which are even Commonwealth? Really?

You guys must be bored. : - )
Comment posted by JimmyTheBrain, at 09:20 4 Jun 2018
@1 You would rather have a HYS on Kiribati vs Guyana?
Comment posted by Squidlord, at 12:07 4 Jun 2018
Neither of these teams will make it out of their groups. Mock me now, and then wonder at my footballing acumen in a few weeks time... oh, and the final will definitely feature Saudi Arabia who will have benefitted from 14 dodgy penalty decisions to see them through against weaker opposition... ;)
Comment posted by Sir Regulus, at 08:12 4 Jun 2018
David Silva magician is far better a player than Iniesta can dream to be. It is an enduring football tragedy that he never went to the proper bigger club in Manchester.