Subject: [NT] Spain

We have a tough game ahead of us. I really hope we might get a draw out of it, but it seems unlikely. However, we've got a saying over here: one never knows how a cow might catch a hare. I've laid a few snares and got my cow ready to bash the hare's head in with its wooden leg. We'll see whether or not the Spanish fall for it.

We might have gotten the full 3 points out of this game, but we could easily have lost it as well. It was especially lucky not to concede from the penalty. A bit unlucky to get three yellows out of 4 fouls, but the flip side is that we got through without injuries.

Good result, Schep. As you say, we could have notched one for a welcome upset, but I think we got what we wanted. We get to stay in the race. The cow did a pretty good job of impersonating the hare!

I think overall it was a good result given you had to pull out a very defensive formation. And the Spaniards used their speed to effect their own defensive set-up to thwart our scoring hopes - they hauled as many as eight players back any time the ball was near their box. Shades of the old Italian 'Catenaccio' tactic!

Go get 'em! We haven't lost yet.