Published>Fri, Jun 04 10 09:28 AM
Cesc Fabregas returned to action after two months out injured and played for an hour in Spain's 1-0 World Cup warm-up win over South Korea on Thursday.
World Cup holders Italy did not fare as well, losing 2-1 to Mexico, and Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger converted two penalties to give his side a 3-1 win over Bosnia in their last warm-up before the tournament in South Africa.
Arsenal midfielder Fabregas had a good chance to open the scoring for Spain when he hit the crossbar after 35 minutes but Jesus Navas's stunning late goal secured victory for the European champions who fielded mainly second-choice players.
"The first half was better than the second for me. This has all been a bit like a pre-season for me, but I am feeling good," Fabregas told Spanish state television.
Striker Fernando Torres, recovering from knee surgery, remained the only Spanish player not to have featured in the warm-up matches.
Italy went down to goals from Mexico's Carlos Vela and Cuauhtemoc Blanco before substitute Leonardo Bonucci pulled one back in a goalmouth scramble three minutes from time.
"I don't think we could have met a worse team today," said Italy coach Marcello Lippi, explaining that his side had just completed 10 days altitude conditioning and were not fully match fit.
"There are no alarm bells... We need to get fit gradually and peak at the right time. It's true I expected to see us better prepared physically," he told a news conference.
Mexico face South Africa in the opening match of the World Cup on June 11.
LAHM CAPTAIN
Philipp Lahm marked his debut as Germany captain with the equaliser against Bosnia having played a part in the 15th-minute opener when his clearance struck striker Edin Dzeko and sailed over keeper Manuel Neuer.
Schweinsteiger calmly converted penalties in the 73rd and 74th minutes to give Germany victory.
"In the second half, despite three weeks of preparation, we increased the tempo again and that was good to see," said Germany coach Joachim Loew.
"The potential is there. Everyone has worked hard and I think we have a good team, the mood is good in the team and we can play a good tournament."
France play their final warm up on Friday against China and centre back William Gallas should be fit after recovering from a stomach ache.
"He's really well," coach Raymond Domenech told reporters at the team's training camp in the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion.
Domenech was less pleased that around 200 children were prevented from watching training by security staff who had planned for a crowd of no more than 3,000.
"The fact 200 fans stayed at the door is unacceptable," he said. "They were kids, not hooligans.
"I don't know who took the decision but it's a scandal. The players were looking forward to seeing lots of kids in the stadium and there were plenty of empty seats."
Brazil coach Dunga was also venting his anger with renewed criticism of the World Cup ball, saying players from other countries were unhappy with it too.
FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke was in the firing line after he implied during a news conference that, in criticising the ball, Brazil were looking for excuses in case they failed to win the tournament.
"All he (Valcke) has to do is play," Dunga told reporters. "If he plays he will have a different opinion.
"Let's put him on the field to play, to come and train here with us, with this ball, and afterwards we can talk.
"It's not just the Brazilian players who are complaining, it's players from a number of countries," he added.
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