Spain set daunting goal
Monday, July 12, 2004
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Spain team guide: The highest scorers in qualifying with 30 goals, Spain are emerging as a real force.
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High scoring
They scored more goals in qualifying than any side, 30 in six games, and conceded just three - two of those in the match against the Republic of Ireland where Spain came from 2-0 down to draw. Having just missed out on the knockout stages a year ago, Spain will be keen to make their mark, starting with the tournament's opening game against Switzerland.
THE COACH:
Born in Madrid in July 1950, Ignacio Quereda was a promising right-winger with Real Madrid CF's youth team. But despite a brief spell in the third division of Spanish football, the highlight of his playing career was victory with the Spanish Universities at the 1973 and 1975 World Championships. Quereda returned to the varsity set-up as assistant coach at the 1979 competition, having secured his national coaching certificate. The next milestone came when he was put in charge of third division CD Móstoles. Then, in 1988, he was chosen to be the new national women's coach by the Spanish Football Federation.
ROUTE TO THE FINALS:
Spain strolled through first qualifying round Group B5 in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Adriana Martin, who would not turn 18 until November 2003 and who scored six goals in the 2002/03 tournament, struck a hat-trick as Spain beat Belgium 4-0. The same player claimed another treble in a 9-0 victory against the hosts, and a mere two goals in the concluding match against the Faroe Islands, won 4-0. As hosts of second qualifying round Group A2, Spain had a scare after falling behind to two Irish goals in the first 42 minutes of their opener, but pulled one back before the break and levelled through Natalia Pablos. Martin was back on target against Denmark, scoring twice in a 2-1 triumph, before registering her eleventh qualifying goal in the decisive 9-0 defeat of Slovakia - although Pablos was the hat-trick hero on that occasion.
