Impressive Spain score four

Ukraine's World Cup debut ended in a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Spain in the unrelenting heat of Leipzig. David Villa, preferred by coach Luis Aragones to Raul for the Group H clash, scored twice after Xabi Alonso's early opener, with Fernando Torres' late fourth the pick of the bunch.

Ukraine had actually gone close before the game disappeared from their reach, with defender Vladimir Yezerskiy heading a free-kick from Ruslan Rotan only just past the frame of the goal.

But once they fell behind in the 13th minute, when Alonso tumbled forwards at a crowded near post to head a corner past goalkeeper Oleksandr Shovkovskiy, their fate was quickly sealed by Villa's follow-up four minutes later.

That had been the result of a free-kick from 25 yards out that the Valencia forward had seen deflected past Shovkovskiy off a jumping defender in the wall.

Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin had already voiced his disapproval at having to play in temperatures of more than 32 degrees and it was clear the unrelenting heat favoured Spain, whose passing moves were far more fluid and expansive.

Andriy Shevchenko had surprised no-one when he declared himself fit to lead out his nation, having played just 30 minutes of football since suffering a knee injury a month ago.

But Chelsea's new #30million recruit received lower-league quality service from his team-mates, with Carles Puyol coming out on top whenever the occasion arose and Shevchenko was almost invisible in the second half.

Andriy Gusin, Andriy Voronin and Villa all saw efforts saved as half-time loomed with Shovkovskiy's tip-over of a rasping long-ranger from Marcos Senna by far the best save of the game - although Alonso then opened the scoring from the resulting corner.

Whatever words Blokhin said at the break, which saw Oleg Shelayev and Andriy Vorobey replace Oleg Gusev and Gusin, could not have prepared his players for the shock that was to befall them just seconds into the restart.

The Ukraine defence was opened up straight away but Shovkovskiy was able to parry Torres' shot as Vashchuk tried to catch up with the action. The Atletico Madrid man went to ground trying to latch on to the rebound but it was a mystery why Swiss referee Massimo Busacca decided to award first a penalty and then send off Vashchuk.

Villa gratefully converted the penalty before, after failing to beat Shovkovskiy from 10 yards out, he was replaced by Raul in the 55th minute, with David Albelda also coming on for Alonso.

Voronin came close to a spectacular consolation when his dipping effort beat Iker Casillas but dropped the wrong side of the far post and Blokhin made his final change in the 64th minute when ex-Tottenham and West Ham striker Sergei Rebrov replaced Rotan.

Senna found the net from 20 yards but it was disallowed because Sergio Ramos had clattered into Yezerskiy, who had earlier been booked for a foul on Torres, from a corner.

Rebrov should have pulled one back with less than 20 minutes remaining but blasted a great chance over from just 10 yards out

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas was given the final 13 minutes, replacing Liverpool's Luis Garcia, before Torres compounded Ukraine's misery with an excellent fourth in the 81st minute.

His rasping drive was powerfully struck and gave Shovkovskiy little chance but the goal was made all the more sweeter by Puyol's involvement in the build up.

First the defender rushed in to win the ball, got the better of a challenger with some nifty footwork and then, having cantered up-field having laid the ball off, was able to cushion a header into Torres' path so the coup de grace could be applied.

Voronin must have felt a late consolation was finally his after Casillas came out of his area and failed to connect but Pablo Ibanez intervened before an empty net could be located.