Casillas warns team-mates against easing up

Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas has warned his team-mates against taking it easy in tomorrow's World Cup play-off in Slovakia after they won the first leg 5-1.

Slovakia finished Saturday's game in Madrid with 10 men and on the receiving of a drubbing that makes Spain runaway favourites to reach next year's finals in Germany.

"The margin of victory isn't good because we could be tempted to relax, though it's better to go with a 5-1 advantage than a 2-1 for the return leg," Casillas told radio Marca yesterday.

"We are conscious of the situation and are keen to go to the World Cup finals in Germany, so we are not going to ease off."

Winger Luis Garcia scored a hat-trick and there was a goal apiece for his Liverpool team-mate Fernando Morientes and Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres in an impressive display of attacking football in the Calderon.

But Slovakia coach Dusan Galis, who was sent from the bench during the match, and his players were furious with the performance of Italian referee Massimo De Santis, who also sent off defender Marian Had.

The Slovaks have promised Spain a "warm welcome" in Bratislava.

Casillas said: "They'll be really angry. If I had lost 5-1 in a World Cup play-off I would be as well and would go for it in the second leg.

"They'll try and score in the first 15 minutes and take it from there. I have never conceded four goals with Spain but I don't want to tempt fate by saying it couldn't happen."