Euro 2008 Semi-Finals Day Two

[Newshound]

26 June 2008<br>
<br>
RUSSIA 0<br>
SPAIN 3 (Xavi 50, Guiza 73, Silva 82)<br>
<br>
The Villa-Torres connection (like the Can-Am connection without the steroids) combined for one of the few highlights in an otherwise sleep inducing first half. The Valencia striker chested down a David Silva longball before passing to Torres, he rode Ignashevich's challenge and snapped a shot at Akinfeev who had taken up a great position at his near post and saved with his feet. Villa injured himself when taking a free kick and was forced off with what appeared to be a thigh strain on 35 minutes. He was replaced by Fabregas.<br>
<br>
After some predictable square passing Xavi ran forward and spread the play out wide left to Iniesta, he used his left foot to turn inside Anyukov then switched the ball back to his right before arching a low cross towards the centre circle for the onrushing Xavi to volley first time past Akinfeev. Brilliant goal. Fabregas and Ramos combined from a throw-in, after the midfielder lead the Russian's on a merry dance he passed to the overlapping Ramos but Torres wasted his cut back, shooting hopelessly wide. Guiza scored within three minutes of replacing the ineffective Torres, who should NOT have had a first half penalty. Capdevilla started a counter attack by winning possession on the edge of his box, Xavi Alonso turned the ball onto Fabregas who in turn sent David Silva running through the centre of midfield, Silva passed out wide right to Guiza and he held up possession until reinforcements arrived, Guiza laid off the ball to Ramos before making a diagonal run into the box, Fabregas flicked on the Real Madrid defender's pass with an exquisite first time lob over the Russian defence, Guiza bounced the ball on his chest before volleying over Akinfeev as he dived at his feet. Absolutely magnificent. Fabregas made the third on the break, his pass between two defenders was so perfectly weighted David Silva even had time to take a touch before finding the bottom left corner.<br>
<br>
Semi-final Guus does it again (1998 with the Netherlands and 2002 with Korea). Arshavin and the rest of the Russian team choked which is understandable given their age. This was considerably more one sided than their group stage hammering by the Spanish.<br>
<br>
The first half was distressingly similar to Spain vs Italy and the majority Sweden vs Sweden with little goalmouth action and Spain doing what they do best, make aimless square passes in midfield. Although it was Iniesta and Xavi who broke the deadlock after that point Fabregas ran the show. Villa has been ruled out of the final though I believe he shot his load in the group stages. The question on everyone's lips is whether Fabregas will start or whether Aragones will continue to use him as an impact player off the bench.<br>
<br>
Attendance : 50,000<br>
Assists : Iniesta, Fabregas, Fabregas<br>

Read more...