Abel Ruiz of Spain celebrates with teammate Antonio Blanco after scoring his second goal during the FIFA U-17 World Cup Group D match against Niger at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium on Tuesday.
Kochi, October 10 (IANS): Abel Ruiz struck twice in the first half as Spain resurrected their campaign with a 4-0 mauling of Niger in a rather one-sided Group D match at the FIFA U-17 World Cup here on Tuesday.
Ruiz scored in the 21st and 41st minutes before Cesar Gelabert (45+1) added another for Spain just before half-time. Sergio Gomez (82nd) bulged the net in the closing stages as the reigning European U-17 champions took their first points in the tournament in style.
Spain are now on three points from two matches and are slated to face North Korea in their final group game.
Soumah earns a point for Guinea
Meanwhile, Ibrahima Soumah fired a late equaliser as Guinea held Costa Rica to a 2-2 draw in a hard-fought Group C match of the FIFA U-17 World Cup here on Tuesday.
Yecxy Jarquin had given Costa Rica the lead in the 26th minute but Fanjde Toure brought the Africans back on level terms four minutes later.
Costa Rica regained the lead in the second half through Andres Gomez (67th minute).
But just as it seemed that the central Americans might just claim their first victory in this tournament, Soumah found the net in the 81st minute to earn a point for the Africans.
Both teams are in an identical situation with one point from two matches each. Costa Rica are however, in the third position, pushing Guinea to the last spot due to a better goal difference.
Both teams now need to win their respective last group matches in order to have any chance to advance to the second round.
