De la Fuente urges calm as Spain rue lack of cutting edge after Cabo Verde draw | OneFootball

According to El Periódico Mediterráneo, Luis de la Fuente and Spain’s players downplayed the disappointment after a draw with Cabo Verde in their World Cup opener, stressing calm and improvement.

De la Fuente said Spain must keep growing and improving, doing things with the heart, soul and talent in the squad. He underlined that the tournament is long, and in their plan there are still seven matches.

He added that the answer is to persist with the same idea, but with greater finesse. Spain expected a difficult contest against a very physical side who sat in a very low block. Chances were created, yet freshness and precision were missing.

Mikel Oyarzabal felt it was not a bad display, though the final third lacked accuracy. Spain spent most of the match near the opposition area. He urged calm, then rest, and a focus on the next task.

Captain Rodrigo Hernández, the City midfielder, said there was little to reproach. It was a game of patience, they fashioned openings but could not score against a physical, compact opponent. He pointed to the positive that Spain conceded almost nothing, and said they now need greater sharpness because such matches offer few chances and they must take them.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo