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Aragones delighted with strikers as Villa praises Torres

11/06/2008

Spain coach Luis Aragones was delighted with David Villa's performance after he scored a hat-trick against Russia.

The Valencia midfielder hit three goals in Spain's 4-1 victory over Russia and Aragones was not surprised at the striker's prolific start to the competition.

"When I think of Villa, it's a name that makes me think of scoring," he said.

He also said that Liverpool's Fernando Torres, who was substituted shortly after half-time for Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas, was a "brilliant" player.

Despite what was a comfortable victory for the hotly-tipped side, Aragones refused to accept his team were at their peak.

"We opened the scoring but we were fortunate when they could have drawn level," he explained.

"We faced a difficult team that was in excellent physical shape, but after going 2-0 up we started playing with greater ease."

Villa, who celebrated his third by running to the bench to embrace Torres, said there was a strong unity throughout the Spain squad.

He dedicated the goal to his strike partner who had set up his first and been influential in his second.

"I wanted to dedicate that third one to him because I owed him something for the first two," he said.

Meanwhile, Aragones played down talk of problems with Torres saying he had been taken off because more strength was need in the midfield.