ALTHOUGH admitting the United States were the better team, Spain believe their loss to the Americans in the Confederations Cup semi-finals was likely a one-time thing.
"In all sincerity, only one time in ten do I think we would lose against them," Spain captain Iker Casillas said yesterday as the dust settled on their 2-0 defeat by the Americans on Wednesday evening. "But they deserved to reach the final."
Th
e United States scored from swift counter-attacks and put in a solid defensive performance with a string of superb saves from keeper Tim Howard to end Spain's record run of 15 wins in a row. The European champions hadn't lost since November 2006, 35 games ago, a record shared with Brazil's 1993-96 team.
"It's clear we weren't going to be invincible for life," Casillas said. "There's no reason to get on the players or the coach for the result at this tournament because we managed an impressive streak of wins."
Spain won plaudits for their attacking style of play and quick one-touch passing in the midfield throughout the tournament but at the Free State Stadium that philosophy didn't pan out. "It just goes to show that the team that plays better and holds better possession doesn't always win," Casillas said. "Luck doesn't always follow you, so you have to look at positives."
There were few defensive positives to take away, however.
Spain conceded just 11 goals in that 35-game run, but on Wednesdy their normally steady back line looked sluggish from the whistle and blunders led to both goals.
"They didn't have so many chances," said Barcelona centre back Carles Puyol, who was often troubled by striker Jozy Altidore's speed on the counter. "They came out very aggressively and only had two or three chances on goal and scored both,"
Casillas pulled no punches over the glaring blunders by Joan Capdevila and Sergio Ramos that led to the goals.
"Defensively, we lacked the final ten meters in front of goal," the Real Madrid goalkeeper said. "Those two absurd, rare plays cost us the goals."
While the Confederation Cup has limited appeal in world terms, the Spaniards are in good shape for next year's World Cup, also in South Africa. It's fair to say that they will accept defeat on this stage more readily than next year. But Casillas downplayed Spain's chances of picking up its first trophy from football's showcase event.
"First we have to qualify and with the team we have we can do great things," Casillas said. "But not in any moment do we go as favourites. We have to be cautious."
Some time off, not a third-place game at the Confederations Cup, was on the minds of Spain's players yesterday.
"We're not playing in the final and I don't know why a third-place game is played, really," said defender Joan Capdevila.
Spain trained in Bloemfontein yesterday and were expected to travel to Rustenburg today to prepare for Sunday's match at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.
Now the task for coach Vicente del Bosque will be about keeping Spain motivated for another four days with nearly all players coming off a long season.
"You have to play, it's staged this way. Whenever you have a chance to reach the final and you don't, it's hard," defender Carles Puyol said. "We're motivated to finish third but we're also motivated to go on vacation."
