Impossible to beat Spain, says rival coach

RIO DE JANEIRO - Agence France-Presse

Etaeta says his team will have little chance against the World Cup champion. REUTERS photo

It is hard to hear another coach talk as frankly as Tahiti’s Eddy Etaeta, acknowledging in public what everyone knows.

He says it is “impossible” his team of amateurs will defeat World Cup champion Spain in the Confederations Cup, a mismatch if ever there was one.

The coach went a step further. Spain could score 15 or 20 goals against his South Pacific islanders at Rio’s Maracana stadium, even though Spanish coach Vicente del Bosque promised to use reserve players and rest captain and No. 1 goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

Respect for Tahiti

Del Bosque and midfielder Andres Iniesta said Spain would not hold back. They said doing so would show a lack of respect for Tahiti, a nation of only 180,000 which is representing Oceania in the eight-team warm-up for next year’s World Cup.