Spain remain on course to
defend their title after a 4-2 penalty shoot-out win over the Portuguese.
In a dour 90 minutes, neither
side managed a meaningful effort on goal, and it took over 100 before either goalkeeper
was called into serious action - Portugal's Rui Patricio twice denying Spain
during extra time.
But the game seemed destined
for penalties and it was to be Bruno Alves who would miss the crucial
spot-kick, leaving Cesc Fabregas with the chance to clinch Spain's place in the
final. Despite hitting the inside of the post, the ball nestled in the back of
the net to send Vicente Del Bosque's men to Kiev for a meeting with Italy on
Sunday.
Penalty puzzle
Cristiano Ronaldo is Portugal's
captain and their most naturally-gifted player. He takes responsibility for
their free-kicks and had there been a penalty during normal time, surely he
would have stepped up. But during the shoot-out, he was nowhere to be seen
during Portugal's first four kicks. If he was being saved for the fifth, then
his talents were wasted as the game was over before he had the chance to take
on Iker Casillas from 12 yards. Almost as baffling were the scenes when Bruno
Alves strode forward to take the third penalty, only to be sent back by Nani as
he reached the edge of the box. The Manchester United man scored. Alves,
predictably, did not when he returned to take the fourth penalty.
Off-song Spain
Spain have progressed to the
final of Euro 2012, arguably without hitting their best form. Winning a match
without playing to your potential is often seen as a sign of greatness, but is
winning a tournament without playing well more of an indictment on the
opposition? Surely Vicente Del Bosque's side will have to raise their game to
overcome Italy, who remain the only team to score against them during the competition.
Hot-shot Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo became the
first player to have over 30 attempts on goal at a European Championship on
Wednesday night. The Real Madrid man took his individual tally to 35 against
Spain, which means that he alone has taken more shots than four of the teams
who entered the tournament. Ireland, Denmark, Greece and Croatia all had fewer
shots on goal than Ronaldo, and the entire England squad could only muster 36.
But the runner-up for the Ballon D'or will probably live to regret not having
one last effort on Iker Casillas' goal - from just 12 yards.
Portuguese pressing
Portugal became the first side
to shake Spain's assurance in possession. During the tournament, Spain have
been allowed to dominate games, endlessly passing the ball without mounting any
sort of attack. By pressing the defending champions high up the pitch, Paulo
Bento's men managed to upset their neighbours' rhythm, forcing them to
uncharacteristically concede possession. Tiredness prevented Portugal from
continuing the tactic for 120 minutes, but it was only their decreasing fitness
that allowed Spain to assert their authority
.
Dead-ball drivel
Despite some of the best
free-kick specialists showcasing their skills at Euro 2012, only Andrea Pirlo
has managed to find the net directly from a dead ball. Vicente Del Bosque said
before this match that his side would have to avoid conceding fouls around the
penalty area, with Ronaldo's renowned expertise from anywhere within range
posing a serious threat. But the world's second best player has not found his
range at this tournament and supporters behind the goal were more at risk than
Casillas in Donetsk.
Clean sheet class
Spain have now kept a clean
sheet in their last nine knock-out games at major championships, with Casillas
playing over 15 hours of knock-out football without picking the ball out of his
net. The record stretches back to 2006 when Zinedine Zidane netted a
last-minute goal for France in the last-16 match at the World Cup in Germany.
Semi-final stalwarts
Spain maintained their 100 per
cent record in semi-finals after beating Portugal on penalties in Donetsk. The
Spaniards have come out on top in each of the five times they have qualified
for the last four of a major championship. The run started with a win over
Hungary in the European Nations Cup in 1964 and was followed 20 years later by
victory over Denmark in the same competition. Their third success came against
Russia in Euro 2008, before a penalty success against Denmark at the World Cup
two years ago.
Ronaldo's Spanish block
Cristiano Ronaldo's goalless
record against Spain continued in Donetsk, after he failed to test Casillas.
The Real Madrid forward has now faced his country of residence four times but
has yet to find the net. The closest he came was in November 2010 when he
embarked on a mazy run and lobbed the keeper, only for Nani to head the ball in
from an offside position when the ball would have nestled in the back of the
net regardless. What may resonate with the precocious CR7 is the fact that
adversary Lionel Messi has netted twice in three appearances against the
Spanish.
Yellow peril
Referee Cuneyt Cakir looked to
have the measure of the contest before half-time, but became very card happy
after the interval, with no fewer than nine players ending up in his notebook
by the time the final whistle was blown. Fortunately, UEFA's rules for
international tournaments mean that all yellow cards from previous matches are
wiped out after the quarter-finals, meaning only a red card leads to a
suspension for the showpiece. It might be an idea to introduce a similar rule
in the Champions League after a host of Chelsea and Bayern Munich players
missed out this year due to semi-final bookings.
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