STUTTGART, Germany: Spain came from behind to beat Tunisia 3-1 at the World Cup in Germany on Monday and book their place in the second round while Ukraine crushed Saudi Arabia 4-0 to revitalise their campaign.

Earlier, Switzerland beat Togo 2-0 to end the West African side's hopes of progressing to the last 16 despite a players' pay dispute which has overshadowed their efforts.

With 10 goals in three matches, Monday was the most goal-filled day of the month-long tournament so far. It also marked the halfway stage in terms of matches played, with 32 down and another 32 to go.

Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, England, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain have all qualified for the knockout stage with a group game to spare.

In their Group H match against Tunisia in Stuttgart, the Spaniards struggled to live up to the high standards they set in a 4-0 demolition of Ukraine in their opening game.

They went behind to a first half strike from Joahar Mnari, who reacted quickest after Spain goalkeeper Ilker Casillas blocked his initial shot.

But Spain hit back after the break with a goal from substitute Raul, Spain's all-time top scorer, and two from Fernando Torres including an injury time penalty.

The 22-year-old Torres is now the tournament's leading scorer, with three goals in two games.

"It was harder than we expected but it is important to win any way you can," Torres said. "Today the team showed spirit and did not get downhearted when they were behind. As long as the strikers keep scoring we will progress in this tournament."

Cinderella story

Ukraine put themselves in pole position to claim the second qualifying slot in the group by beating Saudi Arabia.

Although the Saudis were disappointing in the Group H game, Ukraine still looked like a team transformed from their own 4-0 drubbing by Spain in their opening match last week.

"It's a little bit like Cinderella. The pumpkin turned into a beautiful coach and the other animals turned into wonderful horses," coach Oleg Blokhin told reporters.

"That's what happened to us today. We knew it was a decisive match and we turned things around and did a great job."

Goals from Andriy Rusol and Serhiy Rebrov gave fired-up Ukraine a deserved 2-0 lead at halftime in Hamburg.

Andriy Shevchenko headed home an inswinging free kick a minute after the break and then set up midfielder Maksim Kalinichenko for the fourth in the 84th minute.

Togo's defeat was another blow for the West African side whose stay in Germany has been clouded by their pay dispute.

The row prompted their German coach Otto Pfister to walk out, only to return several days later, and was followed by threats of a boycott of the Switzerland match.

The Group G game went ahead after world soccer's governing body FIFA intervened and striker Alex Frei put the Swiss ahead in the 16th minute, turning the ball in from close-range.

Midfielder Tranquillo Barnetta banged in a low drive off the post with two minutes to play.

The victory vaulted Switzerland into first place in the group on goal difference and they need only avoid defeat against South Korea on Friday to be sure of a place in the second round.

France, in third place after two disappointing draws, remain in contention in the group but must improve fast.

Fabregas comes of age

Although Cesc Fabregas was the youngest player to appear for Spain in a World Cup, it was his mature intervention that turned Monday's Group H game against Tunisia in their favour.

A goal down and running out of ideas as they tried to break down Tunisia's rock-like back four, Spain looked to be heading for their first defeat in 24 games at halftime.

But Luis Aragones's decision to throw on the 19-year-old Arsenal midfielder in place of the more robust Marcos Senna changed the course of the match as Spain won 3-1.

Fabregas set up the equaliser 19 minutes from time when Tunisia keeper Ali Boumnijel spilled his rasping drive and fellow substitute Raul netted the rebound.

The equaliser settled Spain's nerves and for the first time in the game they began to create real problems for the Tunisia defence.

Five minutes later the young midfielder threaded a slide rule pass through the Tunisian back four into the path of Fernando Torres and the striker finished off coolly to take his tally for the tournament to three goals.

Torres added another from the penalty spot in stoppage time, but it was Cesc who had turned the match.

"The coach sent me on to play alongside Xavi to help move the ball around quicker in midfield," Fabregas told reporters. "We were looking for the gaps to put Torres clear because he is so quick."

Source: China Daily