Spain lead Honduras 1-0 at half-time

A superb individual goal from new Barcelona signing David Villa saw Spain lead Honduras 1-0 at half-time in their World Cup Group H clash at Ellis Park on Monday.

After Spain lost their opening game 1-0 to Switerzerland, this was an improved performance from the Euro 2008 winners with Villa a constant threat while Honduras rarely threatened.

The 28-year-old rattled the crossbar on seven minutes from 30 metres out then Barcelona’s Sergio Ramos went close with a header on 11 minutes.

Honduras midfielder Danilo Turcios earned the first yellow card on eight minutes for trying to interfere with a quickly taken free-kick.

Villa opened the scoring on 17 minutes when he cut in from the left wing, beat the defence and then squeezed his shot past two defenders and into the top left-hand corner of the goal.

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres, one of two changes to the side which lost to the Swiss, wasted Sergio Ramos’s cross from the wing when he headed over with half an hour gone.

Emilio Izaguirre picked up the second booking for Honduras when he fouled Spanish winger Jesus Navas on 38 minutes.

Villa was later lucky not to get booked when he appeared to slap Izaguirre in the face in the penalty area.