A second half brace from David Villa saw Spain to a 2-0 win over El Salvador in an international friendly at the FedEx Field in Maryland, USA, on Saturday.
Spain got off to a flying start when Diego Costa was brought down inside the box in the second minute of the match and the referee awarded a penalty-kick.
Cesc Fabregas, however, failed to convert from the penalty spot as he blazed over the crossbar in unconvincing fashion.
Still, despite the disappointment, Spain did not let up and Pedro should have opened the scoring in the fifth minute when Xabi Alonso slipped him through on goal, but he failed to beat the keeper in a one-on-one.
Five minutes later Fabregas tried to make up for his penalty miss with a shot on goal from the edge of the box, but his effort was well-saved by the keeper.
El Salvador’s first decent effort on goal came in the 26th minute, but Alexander Larin’s 22-yard shot sailed inches wide of the left-hand post.
Spain were back at it again just after the half hour mark when Andres Iniesta tried an outrageous long range shot which went just over the target.
In the 36th minute Fabregas met a cross from Iniesta, but his header skimmed the wrong side of the left-hand post.
Two minutes later Sergio Ramos came close with an attempt from the edge of the box, but his powerful free-kick went narrowly wide of the target.
The half ended 0-0.
Both sides made a host of substitutions after the break which resulted in the game becoming a little sloppy.
Spain, though, soon took control and opened the scoring just after the hour mark when David Villa headed home from a corner-kick, 1-0.
Villa made sure of the Spain victory with his second goal of the night in the 87th minute after turning home an inch perfect pass from David Silva, 2-0.
