Roja records to consider

Spain are expected to net a number of goals against Tahiti in tonight’s Confederations Cup meeting – what records could they break?

La Roja are strong favourites to defeat the nation ranked 138th in the world in Thursday night’s Group B encounter, and a large scoreline to follow on from Nigeria’s 6-1 win over the French Polynesia outfit is expected.

In the Confederations Cup’s history, the largest margin of victory has been by six goals, on two occasions thanks to Brazil, with a 6-0 win over Australia in 1997 and an 8-2 defeat of Saudi Arabia in 1999.

AS report that La Seleccion’s own biggest win in an international fixture dates back to 1933, when six goals from Chacho helped them on to a 13-0 victory over Bulgaria in a friendly.

It is Australia that hold the world record for the biggest win at international football, thanks to April 2001’s 31-0 win over American Samoa in a 2002 World Cup qualification match.

La Roja have only ever once faced a nation from Oceania before, defeating New Zealand 5-0 in the first game of the 2009 Confederations Cup, which included Spain’s fastest international hat-trick from Fernando Torres, which came in 10 minutes and 57 seconds.

Only three Spanish representatives have scored at tonight’s host stadium the Maracana – Estanislau Basra, Telmo Zarra and Silvestre Igoa during Spain’s 1950 World Cup campaign.

Nine players have scored more than three goals in an international fixture for Spain, but from Chacho, Langara, Rubio, Zarra, Tejeda, Rincon, Santillana, Butragueno and Raul, only Butragueno achieved his haul during a competitive tournament.

Roberto Soldado could continue a run of consecutive wins with the national team, should he appear and Spain defeat Tahiti. The Valencia man has seen the national side win in each of his first 10 appearances.

Raul Albiol’s run of 27 consecutive wins, Alvaro Arbeloa’s 13 and Alvaro Negredo’s 11 are currently ahead of Soldado.

Tonight’s game will be the 101st for Spain disputed on neutral ground. The previous 100 have yieled 60 wins, 19 draws and 21 defeats.

Vicente del Bosque’s record with La Seleccion on neutral ground is played 25, won 21, drawn two and lost two, with 48 goals scored for and 13 against.

Tags Confederations Cup Spain Tahiti
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