Spain need victory nothing less

The European champions are desperate for a win over Honduras today in Johannesburg.

Spain's opening game defeat to Switzerland remains the surprise of the World Cup. The European champions remain favourites to be crowned world champions in Soweto on July 11, but they face humiliation if they fail to beat Honduras tonight at Ellis Park. After winning an unprecedented 10 consecutive qualifying games, Vicente del Bosque's side were not expected to lose against the Swiss. Critics smelled blood and more than a whiff of the Spanish inferiority complex that has plagued previous tournaments and never seen la roja progress beyond the World Cup quarters.

Angel Maria Villar, the head of the Spanish Football Association, was even asked if Del Bosque's job was safe, a question which met an emphatic: "There is no issue with Del Bosque because he has a contract, he renewed in December and because there is total confidence in him. Whatever happens at the World Cup, Del Bosque will continue as coach. I'm very sure about that." The reaction in Spain has been surprisingly sanguine. They accepted Del Bosque's reasoning that despite his side dominating play, the Swiss had defended heavily and Spain were unable to show "their true personality and break them down".

Freak results occur in football, though there were questions about whether it was a good idea for Iker Casillas's television journalist girlfriend to stand behind his goal during the game, just as there was a mild fixation when she interviewed him later. Spain's players remain united, the mood in the camp positive, with Xabi Alonso, the midfielder, saying: "We've moved on from the Switzerland match and we've got our minds focused on Honduras.

"I have a lot of respect for Switzerland. They are a very good side and they play their own game. They have their own way of interpreting football and that's the way they approach every match. We have our own style as well but obviously things didn't work out for us. Maybe if we'd scored first, the result would have been different, but they took the lead instead and the game worked out perfectly for them."

Anything less than a victory today in Johannesburg will be a disaster for Spain. "We have to beat them and to do that we need to be patient," Alonso added. "We know there are no easy teams around but we need to take control of these situations. If we go a goal down, we have to keep our cool and not lose our heads." Honduras lost their first game to a Chile side who meet Spain in on Friday in Pretoria. The South Americans were considered as the danger side of their group by Spanish players before the tournament and the convincing manner in which they beat Honduras suggested they were right.

Honduras are playing in the World Cup for only the second time. They are unlikely to match the 1-1 draw they achieved against Spain in 1982 and Reinaldo Rueda, their Colombian coach, is fearing a Spanish backlash. "As one of the favourites and having lost their first game, Spain will be even more determined," Rueda said. "We rate Spain as highly after that match as we did before it." [e-mail]

Key Battles ? Wilson Palacios v Xavi The Tottenham defensive midfielder, Palacios, was excellent last season as his side qualified for the Champions League and his stock could improve even further if he manages to shackle and frustrate Spain's playmaker. Palacios can count on support from his brothers Jhony and Jerry, who are also in the squad. ? Maynor Figueroa v Sergio Ramos The Wigan left-back likes to get forward and shoot. He scored a goal from his own half in the FA Cup last season. His chances will be limited against Ramos and Spain. Tactical Analysis Spain are likely to started with an attacking 4-3-3, and Honduras with 4-4-2. Fernando Torres will be hoping for more than the 29 minutes he got against the Swiss. Player to watch David Silva. The talented and in-demand Valencia winger was substituted after 62 minutes against Switzerland. He needs to provide more penetration against Honduras. Previous meetings Honduras scored first and held Spain to a 1-1 draw in the opening match of their group at the 1982 World Cup, held in Spain. It was Honduras's only previous appearance at the tournament. Did you know? Wigan Athletic, the English Premier League side, bought three Honduran internationals in the last three years: Wilson Palacios (now with Tottenham), Maynor Figueroa and Hendry Thomas. Figueroas's wife is a professional handball player.