article_snippet: The former Real Madrid striker, who nearly joined Harry Kane at Spurs as part as the deal that took Gareth Bale to Spain, settled the match in the first half in what was a largely unconvincing performance from Vicente del Bosque’s team.
article_snippet: Spain: Casillas; Juanfran, Pique, Ramos, Alba (Bernat 79); Busquets, Koke, Iniesta (Cazorla 74); Silva, Isco, Morata (Pedro 65)
article_snippet: Subs not used: Albiol, Bartra, Fabregas, De Gea, Carvajal, Juanmi, Mario Suarez, Asenjo, Vitolo .
article_snippet: Playing instead of the injured Diego Costa he converted a Koke pass on 28 minutes but Spain failed to find the second and still look a long way from the form they showed when they won the Euros three years ago.
article_snippet: they also lost Jordi Alba to a groin injury in the second half.
article_snippet: Spain attacked with more quality than the visitors and just before the half hour they were in front when Andres Iniesta found Koke and Andres Iniesta
article_snippet: Spain then enjoyed their best spell.
article_snippet: On the day that Xavi showed up in Qatar to sign a three-year contract Spain could easily have been reminded of how much their miss David Silva.
article_snippet: The Juventus striker is congratulated by The Juventus striker team-mates as Spain made their first-half dominance pay .
article_snippet: That was typical of the sloppiness that had crept into Spain’s play at the start of the second period. 
article_snippet: Spain continued to over-elaborate at one end and leave too much space at the other and when Jordi Alba went off holding Jordi Alba groin with 12 minutes left even Barcelona supporters were worried.
article_snippet: even Barcelona supporters played out the final minutes to take the three points and even Barcelona supporters stay second behind Slovakia but Del Bosque will not need telling there is work to be done if even Barcelona supporters are to retain even Barcelona supporters crown in France next summer.
article_snippet: Casillas kept Casillas place in the Spain goal despite the imperious form of David de Gea this season .