Spain get off to winning start under new coach Aragones

Luis Aragones got off to a winning start as Spain coach when his side beat Venezuela 3-2 in a friendly in Gran Canaria on Wednesday.

A first-half strike from Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes and a well-taken second-half double from his substitute Raul Tamudo gave the home side a morale-boosting win following their disappointing performance at Euro 2004.

Spain eventually broke the deadlock four minutes from the end of an evenly balanced first half when the unmarked Morientes guided home at the far post after Real Madrid colleague Michel Salgado had dinked in a cross from the right.

But Venezuela hit back before the break when midfielder Jorge Rojas took advantage of some slack defending to unleash a long-range shot that bounced past Santiago Canizares in goal.

Arsenal forward Jose Antonio Reyes added some extra spark to the Spain attack when he came on at halftime and fellow substitute Tamudo extended the home side's lead in the 57th minute with a neat header after Victor had hit a corner towards the far post.

Ten minutes later the lively Reyes swung a pass behind the Venezuela defence for the unmarked Tamudo to score his second with a superbly timed diving header.

The visitors pulled another goal back in stoppage time when substitute Rafael Castellin ran on to a through pass from Rojas, checked past Canizares and drilled home with a low shot.

Spain travel to Bosnia in their first qualifying match for the 2006 World Cup on September 8, but Aragones will have another chance to prepare his players when they host Scotland in a friendly on September 3.

Lithuania, San Marino, Serbia and Montenegro and Belgium are also in European Group Seven with Spain and Bosnia.