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Del Bosque: Spain not clinical enough

Reuters - Thursday 08 July 2010, 21:05

POTCHEFSTROOM - Spain have not been clinical enough in front of goal at the World Cup, according to coach Vicente del Bosque.

The European champions, who play Netherlands on Sunday in their first World Cup final, have won five of their six matches by a one-goal margin, dominating their opponents for long periods without finishing them off and squandering a host of chances.

"Maybe we are lacking that bit of judgment in front of goal but that's the most difficult thing in football," Del Bosque said in an internet chat on the website of daily El Pais.

"The key thing is to keep faith with our concept of playing and our solid organisation," he added.

"Out of that organisation, the players' individual qualities should be able to be decisive."

With Fernando Torres, who returned from knee surgery shortly before the tournament, out of sorts, Spain have relied heavily on David Villa in South Africa, the Barcelona striker netting five of the team's seven goals.

Del Bosque dropped Torres for Wednesday's 1-0 semi-final win over Germany in Durban and replaced him with Pedro and he hinted that he was not planning to tinker with the starting line-up much for the final.

Pedro earned praise from Del Bosque and his team mates for his performance against the Germans, in which he kept Philipp Lahm busy and prevented the fullback from making many of his dangerous forays down the right wing.

"We have pretty much maintained a block of players in these six matches and I don't believe there will be many changes," Del Bosque said.

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