Ireland were allowed to do what they liked, says Camacho

SPAIN coach Jose Antonio Camacho was fuming after Ireland were awarded a last minute penalty to haul themselves level before finally bowing out 3-2 after a penalty shoot-out in a fiery second round clash yesterday.

The Spain boss also complained bitterly that Ireland were allowed to do what they wanted while referee Anders Frisk penalised his side for every tackle.

"The second penalty should never have been given in a World Cup match," Camacho moaned. "It was never a penalty, but I know that referees have to make the instant decisions. "I hope that I do not see a repeat of those kind of decisions against other teams in this competition. [Anders] Frisk blew up for everything against us, while the Irish could do whatever they wanted."

"Now we look to the next game where we could face one of two very dangerous teams," Camacho continued.

Camacho was roundly criticised for leaving Spain with only one striker for extra-time, after substituting Raul and Fernando Morientes, who had given Spain the lead with a neat header after eight minutes.

The Spanish coach surprisingly chose to bring on David Albelda as one of the replacements, despite his being injured for most of last week, and the Valencia midfielder duly had to hobble off.

With no substitutions left, Spain were forced to play most of extratime with ten men, but Camacho believed referee Anders Frisk was to blame.

Modest Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas refused to take any credit for the heroics that sent his side through to the World Cup quarter-finals. Casillas saved one penalty in normal time and then two more in the shootout as Spain edged past Ireland.

The 21-year-old, who has already won two Champions League winners’ medals with Real Madrid, was mobbed by his team mates after Spain’s victory was confirmed by Gaizka Mendieta’s successful kick, but the keeper was in no mood to play the hero’s role.

"Penalty saves are a lottery, nothing more," Casillas said. "We needed luck to get into the next round, although I also think we played well."

Casillas said he was most impressed by the way his side had withstood a furious Irish assault in extra time, when Spain were effectively playing with nine men. "There was a lot of suffering," Casillas recognised after midfielder David Albelda had been unable to play in extra time because of a groin injury while Luis Enrique was clearly only half-fit.

"I think we deserved to go through because we created a lot of chances in normal time and then showed what we were made of in extra time." Casillas was only in the Spanish goal because of a freak accident suffered by Santiago Canizares, who severed a tendon in his foot when he dropped an aftershave bottle before the squad left for South Korea.

"I did think of Canizares when I was there for the penalty shootout," Casillas revealed. "At the end, I also thought about the players Juanfran and Juan Carlos Valeron who missed our penalties."

Camacho is resigned to being without midfielder David Albelda for the quarter-final, but he remains hopeful that Raul could be fit.

They take on Italy or South Korea in their quarter final in Kwangju on Saturday.