Spain 4-0 Niger U-17 World Cup India: match report, goals, action
A brace from Abel Ruiz along with goals from Gelabert and Sergio Gomez was enough to see Spain get their World Cup back on track after losing to Brazil in their first game.
Spain 4-0 Niger
Spain for their U17 World Cup campaign back on track after a loss to Brazil in the opening game on Saturday. They took care of business against Niger with Abel Ruiz bagging a couple along with goals from his Barcelona teammate, Sergio Gomez and Real Madrid''s Gelabert.
After struggling to create anything really meaningful against Brazil, Santi Denia's side had far more purpose going forward and were able to impost their style on the game as they were able to take it down, pass it around and create one-on-ones against Niger on the flanks.
Brazil play Korea next and Spain will play them after and they remain on track to qualify for the last 16 despite the early slip-up against tournament favourites Brazil.
Spain U17 vs Niger U17 live stream online: as it happened
Spain U17 vs Niger U17 live stream online: preview
Spain will look for a response when they face Niger in Kochi on Tuesday, having lost their opening match of the tournament against a strong Brazil side. Niger currently sit ahead of La Rojita in the Group D standings, following a narrow victory over North Korea in their opening match.
Find out how and where to watch Spain U17 vs Niger U17.
Spain
Santiago Denia's side allowed a 0-1 lead to slip against Brazil in their opening match on Saturday. Spain made a bright start as Moha turned the ball into net after just five minutes, but Lincoln and Paulinho scored before half time to give Brazil a lead that they would ultimately hold on to.
Ferran Torres fizzed in the low cross that put the ball on a plate for Moha. The Valencia player, who has Barcelona and Real Madrid vying for his signature, was a threat throughout.
Spain rallied in the second half against Brazil, and similar performances against Niger and North Korea will almost certainly be enough to secure a passage to the knockout phase. The top two teams from each group qualify automatically, as well as the four best third-placed teams.
Niger
Salim Abdourahmane was elated after scoring the only goal of the game against North Korea, and understandably so; it was the first goal ever scored by a Nigerien at a World Cup.
"I thought about the fact that the entire country would be watching on television and how my family would be buzzing back at home," trumpeted the 16-year-old, "It's a moment that will stay with me for the rest of my life."
His boots will also stay with him for the rest of his life, as he proudly declared that "they'll be a piece of my country's football history. When I'm a dad, I'll be able to proudly show them to my kids."
His coach, Ismaila Tiemoko, was a little more sedate, and lamented his side's inability to convert chances and kill the game off. Looking ahead to a challenging match against Spain, and with another one against Brazil on the horizon, Tiemoko maintained that everything remains possible:
"Facing those countries is a daunting proposition in senior football, but not at this level. This tournament is wide open," he said.
Spain U17 vs Niger U17 live stream online: odds and betting
Niger are long-shots at 12/1, while a draw is available at 6/1.