Associated Press
April 2, 2003
LEON, Spain – Diego Tristan, Ivan Helguera and Joaquin Sanchez scored
second-half goals Wednesday as Spain defeated Armenia 3-0 in a 2004
European Championship qualifier and stretched its lead at the top of
Group 6.
Spain leads the group with 10 points, four more than Ukraine. Greece,
which won 2-0 in Northern Ireland earlier Wednesday, also has
six points. Armenia drops to fourth place with four points while
Northern Ireland has one. All five teams have played four matches.
The victory extended Spanish coach Inaki Saez’s unbeaten run to
eight matches since replacing Jose Antonio Camacho after last year’s
World Cup.
Spain was made to work hard for its victory by an Armenian team
which didn’t deserve to lose by such a heavy margin and occasionally
threatened through some well-worked moves.
Armenia made a surprisingly good start, with midfielder Artur Petrosian
and striker Artavadz Karamian enjoying chances in the first 20 minutes.
Tristan, who had been recalled for the match, wasted several early
opportunities and then saw his powerful header well saved by goalkeeper
Roman Berezovsky in the 27th minute.
The Deportivo de La Coruna striker’s near miss was the closest Spain
came to scoring before halftime as it struggled against Armenia’s
disciplined defense.
Armenia continued to impress after the interval and Spain goalkeeper
Iker Casillas was forced to rescue his side in the 53rd minute when
he dived to parry Artavazd Karamian’s fierce shot.
A minute later, Saez replaced FC Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez,
who had been tightly marked throughout, with Valencia winger Vicente
Rodriguez in a bid to gain greater attacking width.
The switch brought its reward in the 63rd minute as Vicente found
space on the left and his low cross was sidefooted home by Tristan.
With Armenia looking second best for the first time in the match,
Spain extended its lead five minutes later when Helguera sent a
downward header past Berezovsky from Vicente’s corner.
Armenia recovered its composure after the double blow but conceded
a third goal in injury time when substitute Sanchez, a 42nd minute
replacement for the injured Joseba Etxeberria, chipped over Berezovsky.
Spain hosts Greece in its next group match on June 7, while Armenia
visits Ukraine on the same day.
The match was the first international match to be played at Leon’s
13,000 capacity Antonio Amilivia stadium, the home of third-division
Cultural Leonesa.
Lineups:
Spain: Iker Casillas; Miguel Salgado, Carlos Marchena, Ivan Helguera,
Raul Bravo; David Albelda, Xavi Hernandez (Vicente Rodriguez, 54th);
Juan Carlos Valeron (Ruben Baraja, 64th) Joseba Etxeberria (Joaquin
Sanchez, 42nd); Diego Tristan, Raul Gonzalez.
Armenia: Roman Berezovski; Yeghishe Melikian, Arutyun Vardanian,
Sargis Hovsepian, Karen Dokhoian; Artur Petrosian (Artur Mkrtchian,
80th), Artur Voskanian, Albert Sarkisian, Romik Kachandryan (Gamlet
Mkhitarian, 84th); Artavazd Karamian, Arman Karamian.
Referee: Alon Yefet (Israel).
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