Villa double lifts Spain

JOHANNESBURG (AP):

David Villa scored two goals to put Spain's World Cup back on track with a 2-0 victory over Honduras yesterday.

Villa beat three defenders in the 17th minute and put a rising shot past Honduras goalkeeper Noel Valladares, who got a touch on the ball but could not keep it out.

Villa scored his 40th international goal in the 51st when his shot from the edge of the area deflected off a defender and went over Valladares.

The Spain striker had a chance for a hat-trick, but he missed a penalty in the 62nd.

Spain earned the penalty when Jesus Navas was tripped inside the right side of the area.

Spain have three points and can still win Group H with a victory over Chile, which earlier beat Switzerland 1-0 and lead with six points. Switzerland have three points and Honduras have zero.

"If we beat Chile we're practically group winners, so we're happy," Villa said. "The good thing is that this result means we depend on ourselves."

Under pressure

Spain came into the match under pressure following a shock 1-0 defeat by Switzerland in their opening game, but Villa single-handedly eased that pressure with a superb individual opener.

Villa's fifth World Cup goal put him even with four Spain players as the country's leading scorer in the competition and moved him within four goals of Raul Gonzalez's record of 44 for the national team.

"It's a shame," Villa said. "I could have passed (the other four players) with a penalty, but I'm still happy with this result."

The win improved Spain's chances of avoiding a potential match with Brazil in the round of 16, but Spain coach Vicente del Bosque still was not satisfied.

"We didn't play a good game. We had a lot of chances, we should have won by more goals," said Del Bosque, who has won 26 of 28 games. "I'm not especially happy."

For Honduras to make the round of 16, they must beat Switzerland in their last match and hope Chile defeat Spain.

"There's no great analysis needed. We knew there was no tomorrow, that it was a must-win (match)," Honduras captain Amado Guevara said. "Now we need to keep working and move forward."

"We lacked conviction," Honduras coach Reinaldo Rueda said. "There's nothing much to explain except that we had a superior team in front of us."

Line-ups:

Spain: Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos (Alvaro Arbeloa, 77), Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique, Joan Capdevila, Jesus Navas, Sergio Busquets, Xavi (Cesc Fabregas, 66), Xabi Alonso, Fernando Torres (Juan Manuel Mata, 70), David Villa.

Honduras: Noel Valladares, Sergio Mendoza, Osman Chavez, Maynor Figueroa, Emillio Izaguirre, Wilson Palacios, Amado Guevara, Danilio Turcios (Ramon Nunez, 63), Walter Martinez, Roger Espinoza (Georgie Welcome, 46), David Suazo (Jerry Palacios, 84).