SPAIN'S FELCIANO Lopez and Fernando Verdasco sent a chill through Argentina by winning the doubles to lead the Davis Cup final 2-1 yesterday.

Lopez and Verdasco prevailed as expected against David Nalbandian and Agustin Calleri 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (5), 6-3, boosting Spain's hopes of winning the final against all odds today, especially if the home side's injured leading player, Juan Martin del Potro, cannot play in the reverse singles.

"This was an important victory, it gives us life," Spain's captain Emilio Sanchez Vicario said. "We need one more game."

Today's schedule has del Potro meeting David Ferrer, then Nalbandian playing Lopez at Islas Malvinas Stadium.

Need only one

Spain need to win only one of the matches to clinch their third Davis Cup title, and first away from home.

Argentina, unbeaten at home since 1998, have to sweep both for their maiden Davis Cup triumph, but their hopes became bleaker yesterday when del Potro was nursing a right thigh injury he hurt in Friday's singles, and undergoing intense treatment to be available.

If del Potro cannot play, he could be replaced by Calleri or Jose Acasuso.

Calleri and Nalbandian, playing their first Davis Cup doubles since the 2006 final, won the first set, but couldn't hold back the veteran Spanish pair over three hours, 18 minutes.

The Spaniards had 86 winners and only 30 unforced errors. The Argentines struggled on serve, being broken six times.

On Friday, Nalbandian defeated Ferrer in straight sets and del Potro fell to Lopez in four.