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Spain needs extra time to salvage third

Sun 28th, June 2009

Rustenburg, South Africa (Sports Network) - Xabi Alonso's goal in the 107th minute allowed Spain to claim a 3-2 win over South Africa in the third-place match at the Confederations Cup on Sunday.

The game remained scoreless until the 73rd minute, when substitute Katlego Mphela gave the hosts a surprising 1-0 lead. However, Spain's Daniel Guiza came off the bench to score goals in the 88th and 89th minutes, only for Mphela to score on a brilliant 35-yard free kick in the 93rd, sending the game to extra time.

However, Alonso curled a free kick of his own inside the far post through traffic early in the second half of extra time, allowing Spain to bounce back from its surprising defeat at the hands of the United States in the semifinals.

Spain nearly opened the scoring five minutes into the match as David Villa got into the box on the left and curled a shot towards the far post that was tipped just wide by goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune.

The hosts responded with a good chance of their own nine minutes later that saw defender Matthew Booth get forward and nearly head home a free kick from midfield, only to see the ball skip wide of the near post.

Siphiwe Tshabalala then forced goalkeeper Iker Casillas to make a good diving stop, while Booth fired wide on the rebound attempt.

Villa had a well-struck shot turned aside by Khune early in the second half, while Guiza knocked the ball into the path of Albert Riera, whose shot from eight yards was stopped at the near post.

South Africa began to look threatening midway through the second half, and they finally broke the scoreless deadlock in the 73rd minute.

Tshabalala took a pass on the left wing and delivered a low cross into the box for Mphela, who took a touch at the top of the six-yard box before slamming the ball into the roof of the net.

It looked like South Africa would hold out for the win, but Guiza fired a shot inside the left post in the 88th minute from just inside the area, before scoring the go-ahead goal one minute later on a brilliant chip that struck the far post and found the back of the net.

The home supporters were absolutely stunned, but they soon had reason to cheer again as Mphela lined up a 35-yard free kick and fired a rocket into the upper left corner on the final kick of regulation.

Mphela had a chance to put his team ahead eight minutes into extra time when he was in on goal, but he had his shot stopped by the legs of Casillas, while Alonso scored nine minutes later to seal the win for Spain.