Spain won only their second major tournament on June 29, beating Germany in the Euro 2008 final in Vienna 1 – 0, Fernando Torres’ solitary strike in the first half proving enough to separate the two teams.

Long considered international football’s biggest underachievers, Spain finally broke their duck 24 years after last appearing in a final, the 13th edition of the European championship proving lucky for them.

Spain went into the tournament with the most talented squad and played the most consistent football in Austria and Switzerland, deservedly winning the trophy. Even the absence of David Villa, who ended Euro 2008 as its top scorer with four goals but missed the final with a thigh injury, did not seem to put off a Spanish side that has reached new heights of team spirit and cohesiveness.

Throughout the tournament, Spain stuck to a patient style of knocking the ball about, wearing down teams with their patient passing, and it was no different in the final.

Even though Germany started more dangerously than their opponents, Spain quickly overcame their nerves and created the first dangerous chance, Iniesta’s cross deflecting off Christoph Metzelder to prompt a reflex save from Jens Lehmann in the 14th minute.

Eight minutes later, Fernando Torres rattled the bottom of the post with his header, but his moment of glory would come in the 33rd minute. The Liverpool striker chased Xavi Hernandez’ long ball, beating Philipp Lahm to chip it over Lehmann and into the side of net next to the goal post.

Spain continued to dominate throughout the rest of the half, but could not take take advantage even when in numerical superiority, when Michael Ballack had to leave the field of play to have his eyebrow stitched.

Germany once again started the half stronger than their opponents, but Spain wrestled control back and Torres came close to scoring a second goal in the 55th minute, identical to his first, only to see Lehmann smother the ball at the last moment.

Joachim Loew, the German manager, tried to change the tactics of his team, taking off defensive midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger and sending on striker Kevin Kuranyi, which almost paid an instant dividend, but Ballack’s piledriver in the 59th minute was just wide of Iker Casillas goal.

Germany enjoyed a brief period of superior posession and had another half-chance through Bastian Schweinsteiger, but almost went two down, only for Lehmann’s reflex save to deny Sergio Ramos’ header.

Lehmann was undoubtedly the busier of the two goalkeepers, Germany barely testing Casillas until the end of the match, while at the other end Marcos Senna, outstanding throughout the tournament, came close to putting the result beyond any doubt in the 81st minute, missing substitute Dani Guiza’s knockdown by centimetres.

A tense last ten minutes saw a German penalty appeal turned down, correctly, by Italian referee Roberto Rosetti, while Spain winded the clock down in their opponents’ half to hang on for the win and the trophy.

Spain reach their first Euro 2008 final in 24 years by beating the fairytale team of Russia 3 – 0 last night. Spain have also been unbeaten for 21 games on the trot now. Xavi Hernandez, Daniel Guiza and David Silva found the back of the net for the Spaniards in the second half, the score having been 0 – 0 at halftime.

Germany and Spain will now meet in the final on Sunday. It will be Spain’s 3rd final and they will be looking for their second win (last title was won in 1964 when they beat the USSR) and Germany for their 4th.

Score:

SPAIN 3 – 0 RUSSIA

The German defender Philipp Lahm scored a goal in the last minute against Turkey to take Germany to the final in the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament. It is the sixth time the Germans qualify for a Euro final and are aiming for their fourth title.

Turkey dominated the first 20 minutes and it looked as if an upset was brewing when they scored in the 22nd minute when Ugur Boral kicked a crossbar deflected strike of Kazim Kazim through Jens Lehman’s legs. Germany struck back within 4 minutes though to make it 1 – 1 courtesy of Bastian Schweinsteiger. In the 79th minute the Turkish fairytale looked to be over when Miroslav Klose gave the Germans the lead for the first time in the match. Turkey made the Germans sweat once again when their hero from the Switserland and Croatia game Semih Senturk scored in the 86th minute. Philipp Lahm then took it away from Turkey when he scored Germany’s winning goal in the las minute.

Score:

GERMANY 3 – 2 TURKEY

After playing 120 minutes without a goal Spain and Italy were sent to penalty kicks to determine the final spot in the Euro 2008 semifinals and in the end it was Spain punching their ticket to advance. Spain became the first country seeded number one to advance past their quarterfinals match.
Both sides struggled mightily on the finishing end through regulation and into extra time as Spain fired off 27 shots (10 on goal) and Italy managed 12 shots (6 on goal) with no scores. In the end the match was determined on penalty kicks with Spain edging Italy 4-2. Forced into penalty kicks Both sides were even at one after David Villa scored for Spain and Fabio Grosso equalized for Italy but after Santi Cazorla scored Daniele De Rossi’s shot was stopped and Spain had a 2-1 advantage.
Marcos Senna made it 3-1 for Spain before Mauro German Camoranesi brought Italy to within 3-2. Daniel Guiza then missed for Spain and Italy had a chance to even the score but Antonio Di Natale was stopped and then Cesc Fábregas put the match away for Spain with a goal.
Spain will now face Russia on Thursday at 2:45 pm ET for a chance to play for the 2008 Euro championship.

Score:

SPAIN 0 – 0 ITALY (Penalties: Spain 4 – 2 Italy)

Two unlikely results have shaken the line-up of UEFA Euro 2008 as the tournament reaches the semi-finals. Russia scored two goals in extra time to defeat a shocked Netherlands 1-3 on Saturday night (21 June) and Turkey managed to steal the game from a seemingly stronger Croatia on Friday (19 June).

Pavlyuchenko scored after 56 minutes to put Russia ahead of Holland; the way it remained until the dying seconds when Ruud van Nistelrooy ostensibly ended hopes of a giant-killing, scoring in the 86th minute.
Russia fought hard in extra time, and during the second half Torbinski evaded a ragged Holland defence to cheekily slot in a cross passing the face of goal. Russia put the boot in four minutes later, scoring another by way of Andrei Arshavin.

Turkey, fresh from their strong fightback in the group stages against the Czech Republic, held Croatia to a 0-0 scoreline well into extra time. Klasnic scored for the Croats mere minutes before the match was to go to penalties, and then Semih immediately levelled the scoreline seconds before a Croatia win. The Turks then proceeded to thrash them 3-1 on penalties.

Scores:

TURKEY 1 – 1 Croatia (Penalties: Turkey 3 – 1 Croatia)

RUSSIA 3 – 1 NETHERLANDS

Germany beat Portugal 3 – 2 last night in their Euro 2008 quarterfinal encounter. Bastian Schweinsteiger scored
Germany’s first goal in the 22nd minute followed by Miroslav Klose’s header in the back of the net from a Schweinsteiger free kick in the 27th minute. Portugal never gave up though and made the scoreline 2 – 1 in the 40th minute, compliments of Nino Gomes. Michael Ballack restored Germany’s two goal lead in the 61st minute, having scored goals in consecutive games now. Portugal made sure of a nail biting finish when they reduced the deficit to one goal in the 87th minute.

Germany will now play Croatia or Turkey on Wednesday.

The Russians join group winners Spain — who came from behind to beat the defending champions Greece 2-1 in Salzburg — in the round of the last eight.

Roman Pavlyuchenko and Andrei Arshavin scored the goals that put the Russians through, while Ruben de la Red and Daniel Guiza scored to give Spain a come-back victory against defending champions Greece, who had gone ahead through Angelos Charisteas.

In Salzburg, Spain fielded virtually a reserve side, but the players showed their spirit and quality by coming from behind to beat troubled Greece.

2004 hero Charisteas gave Greece the lead, only for de la Red and Guiza to turn the tables with second-half goals, their first for Spain.

Their third defeat means that Greece bow out as the poorest-ever defending champions in the history of the European Championship.

It was a dismal way for veteran Greek keeper Antonis Nikopolidis to finish his international career, especially because he was partly to blame for Spain’s equalizer.

Spain finish top of Group D with nine points. Russia finish second with six points, Sweden third with three.

Spain manager Luis Aragones rested all of his first-teamers, with his mind on Sunday’s quarter-final clash against Italy.

His best player was Xabi Alonso, who four times came close to scoring with breathtaking long drives.

“We worked hard for our win tonight,” said Alonso at the end.

The Liverpool midfielder added, “Italy will be very complicated rivals, because many times they start poorly but get better as a tournament progresses.”

Scores:

RUSSIA 2 – 0 SWEDEN

SPAIN 2 – 1 GREECE