Spain and Haiti met in an international fixture for the first time at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami.
Vicente del Bosque's side were expected to win comfortably as a strong team was named featuring the likes of Juan Mata, Fernando Torres and Cesc Fabregas.
Strikes from Santi Cazorla and Fabregas gave the Spaniard's a two-goal lead going into the break, but after half-time it was far from straightforward as Haiti came back strong at the World Champions.
Donald Guerrier scored a famous goal but it wasn't enough to secure a draw but Del Bosque's side were given quite a fright.
Check our minute-by-minute commentary below to see how all the action unfolded.
Good evening and welcome to Sports Mole's live commentary of the international friendly between Spain and Haiti from the Sun Life Stadium in the United States.
The teams have just come in and we'll start with the Spain XI.
Spain: Casillas; Azpilicueta, Ramos, Albiol, Monreal; Javi Martínez, Fabregas, Cazorla; Mata, Torres, Navas.
Haiti: Montrevil, Goreux, Aveska, Lafrance, Guerrier, Monuma, Pierre, Louis, Maurice, Desmarets, Belfort.
So a strong looking lineup from Vicente del Bosque. There are a few key names missing from the team such as Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Gerard Pique but the quality on displays shows how much depth Spain have in their squad.
Formation: Expect Spain to start with a three pronged attack with Mata and Navas playing either side of Torres, who'll be down the middle. Fabregas, Martinez and Cazorla will occupy the three central spots in the midfield. A strong looking 4-3-3 team from Del Bosque this evening.
There aren't any standout names in the Haiti team. A lot of the players ply their trade in France with Le Mans duo Kervens Belfort and Jean-Eudes Maurice and Caen's Jean-Jacques Pierre. However, they're all based in Ligue 2.
Three Chelsea players are named in the Spain team tonight as Cesar Azpilicueta makes just his second appearance for La Roja as he joins Mata and Torres in the starting XI.
A quick note on Spain keeper Iker Casillas, who makes his first appearance since the end of January when he played for Real Madrid in their 5-0 win over Valencia.
The teams are making their way out onto the pitch at the Sun Life Stadium, so we should be underway shortly.
We're underway in the Sun Life Stadium.
Decent start by Haiti as they get in down the left and Guerrier plays the ball down the line for Desmarets but he's flagged offside. A close call that one.
Spain have settle into an early passing rhythm but are yet to test Montrevil. There's Lots of neat interchanges in the Haiti half but no penetration.
CHANCE!! Torres has the first chance of the game but he volleys Azpilicueta's cross wide of the target after Cazorla had done well to lift a ball to the right-back in space.
GOALL!! Spain 1-0 Haiti (Cazorla)
Spain take the lead and it's Cazorla whose got the goal as he picks the ball up on the edge of the area from Fabregas's pass and he drills a left-footed shot into the bottom corner of the net. A lovely finish.
It was only a matter of time before Spain's quality showed and Cazorla proved you can't give a player of his ability time and space on the ball around the box.
Haiti just can't keep the ball and Spain are just coming at them time and time again, they need to find an out ball of some sort otherwise the scoreline could get out of hand.
CHANCE! Haiti go close as Maurice fires a shot just wide of the post after Belfort had done well to hold the ball up under pressure from Sergio Ramos.
Azpilicueta gets behind the Haiti defence again but this time his cross to Torres is cut out before it can reach the striker by Pierre.
CHANCE! Torres lifts a ball into the penalty area after a corner breaks down but Martinez is there and he knocks the ball past Montrevil but his effort hits the side netting.
GOALL!! Spain 2-0 Haiti (Fabregas)
Fabregas doubles Spain's lead but this goal is all about Mata as he lifts the ball over a couple of defenders onto the head of the Barcelona midfielder, who heads the ball over Montrevil and into the net.
A chance for Spain to add a third from a free kick after Cazorla is brought down outside the box.
Ramos drills the free kick straight at the wall and fires his rebound back into it before Haiti clear the ball away. A waste from that position.
Azpilicueta and Navas are having a lot of success down the right. They link up again as Navas goes on the overlap but he overhits his cross to Torres awaiting in the penalty area.
Montrevil makes an error as he comes for a Mata cross and flaps at the ball, Torres is inches away from making contact but the ball falls to Navas, who hits it tamely back at the keeper.
CHANCE! Navas gets down the right again, Torres can't make contact with the ball but it falls to Mata at the back-post who tries to chip the keeper but his effort falls wide.
Slight break in play as Belfort is on the ground after being challenged by Ramos.
Cazorla nearly weaves his way through the Haiti defence but he's stopped by a last ditch challenge and Pierre manages to hack the ball away.
Haiti break upfield and Belfort does well to knock the ball back to Desmarets but Ramos is there to knick it away and clear the danger.
A free kick for Haiti this time as Goreux is blocked off illegally by Ramos.
The ball in from the right is overhit and goes out for a goal kick. Not what Haiti needed there.
CHANCE! Cazorla tests the hands of Montrevil from distance and the keeper makes the save. From the rebound Navas lifts the ball back into the penalty area but Haiti clear the danger as Torres looked to pounce.
Spain are easing off as the half ends and seem to be content on keeping the ball in their own half.
CHANCE! Maybe not!! Mata breaks upfield and combines with Torres who backheels the ball back to the Chelsea midfielder, but he skies his effort over the bar.
HALF-TIME: Spain 2-0 Haiti
Spain have a comfortable lead at half-time thanks to strikes from Santi Cazorla and Cesc Fabregas. They've looked at ease in the first half and they could be further ahead had they been slightly more efficient in the final third of the pitch.
Haiti have been second best as anyone would expect against the quality of Spain but they have competed well and defended stoutly at times. They've been undone by moments of magic from Cazorla and then Mata to set up Fabregas and that's no fault of their own. Haiti need to use ball better when they get upfield and they need to support Belfort if they want to make a game of this.
Expect Spain to ring the changes in the second-half so the majority of their squad get a run out. Players such as Andres Iniesta, Xavi and David Villa are all available to Vicente del Bosque should he call on them.
The players are making their way back onto the pitch and we should be back underway shortly.
Substitutions: A few changes for Spain at the break. David Silva, Gerard Pique and Pepe Reina all come and replace Sergio Ramos, Jesus Navas and Iker Cassilas.
We're back underway at Sun Life Stadium.
Silva is straight in the action and he tries to release Torres down the right but the ball takes a deflection off LaFrance and Spain win a corner.
CHANCE! Haiti clear the danger from the corner but the ball comes out to Cazorla who tries to slip in Fabregas but Montrevil it out and makes the stop along with LaFrance, who goes down hurt in the challenge.
Slow start to the half from Spain as they haven't quite found their rhythm yet. Haiti are looking solid at the moment.
CHANCE! Goreux makes a great surging run from right-back and gets all the way to the edge of the Spain box before he pokes an effort at goal which goes just wide of the post.
Haiti have definitely been in the game more this half as Spain have been slightly clumsy in possession so far in the second period.
Yellow Card! Guerrier becomes the first player to go into the book following a late challenge on Torres.
Substitutions: More changes for Spain as Torres and Fabregas are replace by Roberto Soldado and Andres Iniesta.
CHANCE! Soldado is in the action straightaway as Mata plays him behind the defence with a lovely through ball but he can place his effort wide of the target.
Haiti are asking more questions of Spain this half but their final ball into the box has been poor as Guerrier wastes a good opportunity as he lifts his cross straight into the hands of Reina.
Azpilicueta asks too much of Soldado as he fires the ball into his chest as speed and the striker is dispossessed. Haiti break upfield and just as Saint-Preux looks to pull away from the defence Pique slides in with an inch perfect tackle.
Spain have taken control of the game in the last couple of minutes as they've looked slightly out of touch in the opening period of the half. Iniesta has made an impact and is starting to dictate the midfield.
Mata does well down the left and gets to the byline before firing a cross into the area which evades the head of Soldado before Haiti manage to hack the ball clear.
Spain win a free kick as Mata is felled outside the area. Xavi on as a sub for Mata strikes the ball but Montrevil makes the save.
OFF THE POST!! Iniesta does well to find Soldado who fires an effort at goal which beats Montrevil but strikes the post and is cleared.
GOALL!! Spain 2-1 Haiti (Guerrier)
Haiti get a goal back and they deserved that for their efforts as Guerrier breaks forward and beats the challenge of Pique and he fires his shot into the net from a tight angle.
OFF THE POST!! Soldado hits the post again as he latches onto a ball from Cazorla and makes contact with a volley but he's denied by the woodwork from close range.
Haiti are almost in again and get unbelievably close to an equaliser as Guerrier gets behind the Spain defence and fires a shot from a tight angle but Pique manages to hack the ball clear.
Haiti are looking far the better side here, could they possibly get an equaliser against the World Champions?
Silva breaks down the left and crosses into the area, Soldado makes contact and the ball trickles towards the goalline but Aveska clears the ball to safety just in time.
Spain are desperately trying to calm the game down by retaining possession but they don't quite look themselves at the moment. Perhaps they're feeling the pressure.
Haiti need to press forward if they are going to get this equaliser. Guerrier and Goreux are playing too deeply at the back to cause Spain any problems at the moment. They need to push forward to ask more questions.
Spain appear to have quelled the Haiti threat as they are encamped in their half at the moment and don't look like giving the ball up without a fight. But what a scare they've been given!
FULL-TIME: Spain 2-1 Haiti
It's all over at Sun Life Stadium and Spain have won but were far from convincing as Haiti gave them an almighty fright at the end of the game.
Vicente del Bosque's side were impressive in the first half as and deserved to go, two goals in front through strikes from Santi Cazorla and Cesc Fabregas. It could have been more had they been more efficient in the final third.
The second half was a complete contract though as Spain struggled for rhythm throughout, however, Roberto Soldado did hit the post twice. This allowed Haiti to come into the game and they got a deserved goal when Donald Guerrier raided through the defence and rounded Pepe Reina to slot the ball into the net. A goal all Haitians will be sure to remember for a long time to come.
Haiti could have snatched an equaliser but Spain woke up just in time to prevent an embarrassing slip-up at the hands of the minnows to see out the win.
Spain will hope to be a lot brighter when the face the Republic of Ireland next week, as they continue their build-up for the Confederations Cup. Haiti meanwhile, can be very proud of their efforts against the World Champions.
That's it from us today. Thanks for joining Sports Mole's live commentary this evening. Until next time, goodbye.
Written by
Simon Sinclair
Simon Sinclair
