Johannesburg: Anything less than a win for Spain against Honduras on Monday could see one of the pre-tournament favorites making an ignominious early exit from the World Cup.
Spain labeled its shock 1-0 defeat to Switzerland in its opening game an "accident" as it lost for only the second time in 49 matches, which means the team cannot afford to slip up again in its remaining two Group H fixtures.
The European champion plays its modest Central American opponent at Johannesburg's Ellis Park with both teams trailing Switzerland and Chile by three points following opening defeats, with Honduras losing 1-0 to Chile.
"We're very motivated after the accident of the other day," defender Carles Puyol said on Sunday. "It's so important — it's a final."
Spain is confident its bad day has passed and it can live up to its billing as a pre-tournament favorite after so many disappointments at World Cups past. But Spain may have to do it without midfielder Andres Iniesta who hurt his right leg against the Swiss, which leaves the key playmaker as a game-time decision.
"We have to go out with a lot of desire and a lot of respect because we know it won't be easy," said Puyol, who doesn't believe his team is guilty of looking beyond the initial stages. "I don't think we lacked respect for anybody."
One of the changes coach Vicente del Bosque could make is to bring Fernando Torres back into the lineup.
"You can't just think about Torres because, really, Spain is not just Torres, but a lot of players of such quality," said defender Maynor Figueroa, who has played for Wigan against Torres.
Alongside forward David Villa, Torres could provide the extra punch Spain was lacking in attack against the Swiss. Despite having the bulk of the possession, Spain lacked a cutting edge against a massed Swiss defense.
"It's the moment to show we can fight for the World Cup," Puyol said.
Unsurprisingly, Spain has encountered criticism following the Swiss defeat, much of it directed at the coach.
Former coach Luis Aragones, who led Spain to the 2008 European title, said his successor was wrong in playing two holding midfielders — Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets — and only Villa up front. That left Torres and creative midfielder Cesc Fabregas out of the lineup. Fabregas, who did not even come on as a substitute.
"You have to respect everyone's opinion, especially his," Puyol said of Aragones. "When you don't win you've done something poorly. You always have to improve but I don't think we did things badly."
Since the defeat, the Spanish players have insisted there will be no change to the team's possession-based, quick-touch game regardless of who starts. Del Bosque expects Honduras to open up more than the Swiss did due to the offensive players it possesses, such as Wilson Palacios.
"We're not going to change much about the style of our game, which has taken us this far after these two years and even before that," Del Bosque said on Sunday. "We just need to show better finish in front of goal."
Honduras coach Reinaldo Rueda expects the full force of a Spanish backlash, but said he isn't going to change his team's style.
"It's a key game for both sides — Honduras and Spain need to show everything to everybody if they want to get through," Rueda said on Sunday.
Rueda, who returns after serving a touchline ban in the match against Chile, will be hoping that his main striker David Suazo has fully recovered from right thigh injury to be able to play.
Though ultimately overwhelmed by Chile in the 1-0 defeat, Honduras showed attacking verve at stages during the match. Rueda said his team would be looking for goals not trying to prevent them. as Switzerland did.
"The idea is to do what we did against Chile," Rueda said. "But better."
Spain says it will not be taking the Central American team lightly, and history shows it definitely shouldn't.
In the two teams' only previous meeting at the 1982 World Cup, host Spain came up short after opening the tournament with a 1-1 draw against Los Catrachos.
"They're going to want to win, a draw doesn't serve them," Torres said.
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