Spain reaches Euro 2008 final after beating Russia
SLICE BREAD said
15:50 06/26 2008
VIENNA, Austria (AP) - Spain scored three second-half goals Thursday to beat Russia 3-0 and reach the European Championship final, giving the team a chance to shed its status as football's biggest chokers.
Xavi Hernandez, Dani Guiza and David Silva scored a goal each to give the Spaniards a shot at their second European title when they play Germany on Sunday at Ernst Happel Stadium.
Spain, which won the 1964 European tournament, had ended its run of five quarterfinal defeats by beating Italy in a penalty shootout Sunday, but it confirmed its title aspirations with its penetrative passing on a slick surface in the pouring rain against Russia.
Spain could face Germany without striker David Villa, who was injured while taking a free kick in the first half. Villa, the tournament's leading scorer with four goals, limped off the field and was replaced by Cesc Fabregas in the 34th minute.
Xavi's goal in the 50th minute had an element of luck. He slid a ball through for Andres Iniesta, who eluded one defender before unleashing a shot from just inside the box, and Xavi followed up to side-foot the ball past goalkeeper Igor Akinfeyev.
Two Spanish substitutes c****ined to make it 2-0 in the 73rd. Fabregas flicked a ball over the top and Guiza finished with the outside of his right foot high into the net.
Fabregas then slid a pass through for an unmarked Silva inside the box in the 82nd and he scored.
Spain, which beat the Soviet Union 2-1 in the 1964 final in Madrid, had never lost to Russia in four previous matches - including a 4-1 win two weeks ago in the first round - and it didn't look like blemishing that record from the start at Ernst Happel Stadium.
SLICE BREAD said
15:51 06/26 2008
wa mi tell unnu spain aggo win euro .... (u aggo hear seh all a di wagonist dem a bring spain now)
shamar said
16:52 06/26 2008
MI SIDE GONE A FINAL
Chabee said
19:14 06/26 2008
Spain mi seh fi win it
bad4life71 said
19:15 06/26 2008
a spain a win euro
Dane said
19:15 06/26 2008
MADDD TING
Dreisus said
01:51 06/27 2008
At least two decent side ina di finals
Kareem AkA DJ FRESH said
01:52 06/27 2008
spain nahh win nothing roun here
biggaman121 said
01:54 06/27 2008
mi team dat but germany a go wash dem ass
DysFunktional said
04:38 06/27 2008
damn mi money was on turkey & russia final .....but dat shitty spainish team ...well dem deserve it bout 30 + yrs dem nuh reach a major final well done GERMANY TO WIN
Xavi Hernandez, Dani Guiza and David Silva scored a goal each to give the Spaniards a shot at their second European title when they play Germany on Sunday at Ernst Happel Stadium.
Spain, which won the 1964 European tournament, had ended its run of five quarterfinal defeats by beating Italy in a penalty shootout Sunday, but it confirmed its title aspirations with its penetrative passing on a slick surface in the pouring rain against Russia.
Spain could face Germany without striker David Villa, who was injured while taking a free kick in the first half. Villa, the tournament's leading scorer with four goals, limped off the field and was replaced by Cesc Fabregas in the 34th minute.
Xavi's goal in the 50th minute had an element of luck. He slid a ball through for Andres Iniesta, who eluded one defender before unleashing a shot from just inside the box, and Xavi followed up to side-foot the ball past goalkeeper Igor Akinfeyev.
Two Spanish substitutes c****ined to make it 2-0 in the 73rd. Fabregas flicked a ball over the top and Guiza finished with the outside of his right foot high into the net.
Fabregas then slid a pass through for an unmarked Silva inside the box in the 82nd and he scored.
Spain, which beat the Soviet Union 2-1 in the 1964 final in Madrid, had never lost to Russia in four previous matches - including a 4-1 win two weeks ago in the first round - and it didn't look like blemishing that record from the start at Ernst Happel Stadium.