Andres Iniesta says patient approach paid off for Spain

Twice defending champions Spain had a ball possession up to 68 per cent, created 14 corners and fired 17 attempts, but they just failed to turn those numerous chances into goals, reports Xinhua.

Previously accused of being too predictable, the Spain coach made some bold picks when naming his 23-man squad, most notably in attack, omitting a fit-again Diego Costa and top goalscorer in qualifying Paco Alcacer.

Spain spent most of the game camped inside the Czech half and are now level with Croatia after their 1-0 win over Turkey on Sunday. In the 16th minute, David Silva played a blistering low cross into Morata, who met the ball and put his effort on goal but was denied by goalkeeper Petr Cech.

Czech Republic offered little threat going forward, with David de Gea called into action for the first time just before the break, comfortably saving from Tomas Necid. "Now we're obviously a bit more optimistic about the future than if we'd drawn".

But the wily Spaniard was quick to comment on Casillas, who in spite of helping Spain to their previous two titles and a World Cup trophy in 2010, spent the game on the substitutes bench.

He went right through the passing repertoire in the first half slicing clean through the massed ranks of the Czech defence on three occasions only for Petr Cech, some stubborn defending, and some less than lethal finishing preventing Spain turning the chances into goals.

Iniesta fed Morata inside in the area, but he was unable to get the ball under control and then Morata saw an angled shot pushed around the post by Cech.

The Spanish team got closer to making the breakthrough when a Morata cross was deflected onto the post, but almost found themselves undeservedly behind as Theodor Gebre Selassie's headed goalwards for the Czech Republic, only for Cesc Fabregas to clear off the line.

Del Bosque preferred to concentrate on his side's display as a whole, adding: "Iniesta played well, but this is not the time to speak about individuals".

"We took the initiative, but we weren't successful until the final moments", del Bosque told reporters after the match.

Of course it's a massive thing to score the goal that gives us the win, but we all performed very well - we managed to play very well both at the back and up front.

The Czechs had a chance to break the deadlock in the 65th minute but Cesc Fabregas saved Spain with a goal-line clearance after a header by Theodor Gebre Selassie. "We have achieved so much success because of our style of play".

Czech Republic head coach Pavel Vrba also singled out Iniesta to have made the difference, praising him as an "exceptional" player.