|
Belgium and Spain have no room for error
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-10-08 09:14 "This is a very exciting group with every result important," said Aragones.
"Everybody is relying on other results. But we must still do our job and win
against Belgium and San Marino."
Belgium are hoping to re-kindle the fire of Mexico'86 when they caused an
upset by reaching the semi-finals, defeating the Spaniards on penalties in the
quarter-finals on the way.
But on paper, Spain look to be a bridge to far this time round for Belgium
coach Aime Anthuenis and an injury-ravaged squad, a fact echoed by Aragones.
"We are going to win both games and we will finish first, I really believe
that," Aragones said earlier this week. "We are a better team than Belgium and
that is what makes me optimistic."
With victory in their final group game away to San Marino taken for granted,
Spain believe the key to qualification will be this Saturday's match against
Belgium.
A win in Brussels will keep the pressure on leaders Serbia & Montenegro
who end their qualification campaign with tricky games in Lithuania and at home
to Bosnia.
"Serbia are going to have problems in their two games. They could easily slip
up in one of them, although we have to do our bit and win our two as well," said
Aragones.
Defeat for Spain, however, could jeopardise their chances of even making the
playoffs although the players are not entertaining the thought they might miss
out on their first World Cup since it was held in West Germany 31 years ago.
"It is impossible for any Spaniard to imagine a World Cup without Spain,"
striker Fernando Torres said this week.
"If things don't go our way we should be in the playoffs but I'm convinced
we've still got a chance of finishing in first place."
|
