Muniain recovers for Spain's next football match

NEWCASTLE, England (AP) — Spain forward Iker Muniain has recovered from a right leg injury and will be ready for Sunday's match against Honduras in men's Olympic football.

The return of the 19-year-old Athletic Bilbao player will give the team a boost after Spain had an upset 1-0 loss to Japan.

Muniain provides "a lot of energy and competitiveness to the team, which is what it needs now," coach Luis Milla said. "We're going to count on him."

The player has been called the "Spanish Messi," referring to Argentina star Lionel Messi, and his creativity was missing during Spain's opening Group D match.

"I really want to play," Muniain said before a training session. "I feel like I have recovered."

He said Spain didn't expect to lose against Japan on Thursday and the team must rebound Sunday.

"Tomorrow we'll try to fix what happened in the first match," Muniain said.