Torres rifled home after four minutes in the 4-0 demolition of Ireland on Thursday that put Spain top of Group C and added the third with a solo run for his 30th goal in 95 games for his country and move up to third on their all-time scorers list.
"We had possession of the ball and we had to make the best use of his speed and movement," coach Vicente del Bosque said.
"He played the ideal match and those people who thought he could play the first game as well are also partly right," said the coach who used Torres as a late substitute against Italy.
The absence of Spain's injured all-time top scorer David Villa and Torres' gradual return to form late in the season earned him a stay of execution.
The blond-haired, baby-faced forward known as "el nino" (the kid) came off the bench for Chelsea to net the goal that killed off Barcelona in their Champions League semi-final second leg.
He then looked sharp when thrown into the fray in the final against Bayern Munich on May 19, winning the corner that led to Didier Drogba's leveller with Chelsea going on to win the coveted trophy on penalties against all the odds.
"It was not a disappointment," Torres said of being left out for the first game after receiving the man of the match award on Thursday. "We know we're playing in the best team in the world. It's not disappointing to be on the bench in this kind of team.
"I was lucky today to be selected but if in the next game the manager decides to select someone else that's fine," he said.
