Spain blanks Nigeria, books Confed Cup semis clash vs Italy

FORTALEZA, Brazil (AP) -- World Cup champion Spain defeated Nigeria 3-0 with two goals from Jordi Alba and another from Fernando Torres on Sunday (Monday Manila time), setting up a semifinal showdown with Italy in the Confederations Cup.

Although the final score was emphatic, it could have been much closer if Nigeria had accepted some of its many clear chances in the first half. At times Spain looked vulnerable to the African champions' fast breaks.

Thursday's match in Fortaleza will be a chance for Italy to get even for a humiliating 4-0 loss to Spain in last year's European championship final.

''For us, Italy is a challenge in front of us as we try to get to the final,'' Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said. ''I imagine for Italy it's very important because the loss is fresh in their minds from the European final, and I am sure they are thinking of revenge.''

Alba, a left defender, scored in the third minute to set the wide-open tone for the match. The goal capped a series of one-touch passes, with Pedro backheeling a clever ball to Andres Iniesta, who found Alba. His low shot beat keeper Vincent Enyeama.

Torres scored with a header in the 62nd minute, and Alba picked up his second in the 88th.

Alba was voted man of the match for the first time.

''This is new for me,'' he said. ''This kind of award usually goes to the types who regularly score goals.''

Spain extended its unbeaten string to 25 matches. But it was on the defensive more than usual against the young Nigerians, particularly in the first half.

Nigeria played fast-flowing soccer in the first half, with about as much possession and just as many chances as the Spaniards, regularly beating the World Cup winners to loose balls.

''Nigeria was tough for us,'' Alba said. ''Not just the first half, but the whole game. I have to praise them for playing like that against a team like we have.''

Spain had played Nigeria only once before, losing 3-2 in the 1998 World Cup.

Only poor finishing let Nigeria down, with Joseph Akpala and Sunday Mba squandering chances before the break.

Spain striker Roberto Soldado could also have had two but for sprawling saves Enyeama. Cesc Fabregas also hit the post.

Nigeria's Gambo Muhammad missed an open net in the second half with keeper Victor Valdes out of position, a prime example of the team's poor finishing.

''I think we have so much anxiety in front of the goal line,'' Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi said. ''The good thing is we are creating chances, but we're not finishing. And that's something we need to work on. Hopefully it is going to come quickly.''

The match settled down in the second half, with Spain keeping more possession. Nigeria also fell into a less physical style, perhaps tiring from the heat and high humidity in the tropical northeast of Brazil.

Torres' goal settled matters. Three minutes after coming on, he scored with a diving header on a cross from Pedro. Four minutes later the Chelsea striker was in alone again, but lofted a close-up shot high over the crossbar.

Alba got his second in the 88th, dribbling around Enyeama and scoring into an empty net.

Nigeria heads home with mixed results. It arrived late from Africa for the first match after a threatened strike over disputed bonus payments. The African champions won only one match in the Confederations Cup, beating Tahiti 6-1 and losing 2-1 to Uruguay.

Spain has won the last two European championships and the 2010 World Cup and is trying to add the Confederations Cup title, the only major title it lacks. Four years ago it reached the semifinals, but was beaten by the United States.