"Russia 0-3 Spain"

Spain produced a wonderful second half display to defeat Russia 3-0 and earn a place in the finals of Euro 2008.

After a first half goals, Spain attacked across Xavi, Danny Giza and David Silva to overwhelm a Russian side that struggled to compete with the fluid movement and slick passing of Luis Aragones'.

The margin of victory was the same as Spain had succeeded in their opening group match win over Russia, but in many ways was a more impressive performance against a team that has evolved into genuine contenders in the course Tournament.

The result means that arrived in Spain have reached the end of a big tournament for the first time since 1984, and tonight shows that the fantasy that their chances of ending their 48 year drought of trophies.

Spain, which show no harmful effects of the exhausting 120 minutes of football that endured against Italy in the quarterfinals, were the first to settle. Russia, for its part, perhaps wary of suffering a recurrence of that drubbing, were considerably less adventurous than it had been in his victory over Holland.

It took only six minutes to Aragones's side to create their first decent opening when David Villa Torres found at the edge of the six-yard box, but the Liverpool striker could not get any power into his shot and Igor Akinfeev cleared with his feet.

Villa Akinfeev to test himself when cutting infield from the left before leaving to fly with a shot that goalkeeper Russian Palmer away from a corner.

Arshavin, of whom much was expected after his impressive displays in the last two games, are struggling to impose himself in the game and will convey to his fellow Roman Pavlyuchenko posed a greater threat in the first half. The striker was set up by Yuri Zhirkov, but his curling left foot shot sailed just wide of the post.

Spain suffered a blow on 34 minutes when David Villa was forced to leave the field through injury. The leading scorer in the competition seemed to jar his leg after a long range free-kick. Cesc Fabregas was brought in place of Villa, but its introduction was a need for a change of formation, with Spain and the adoption of a 4-5-1 set-up.

As half-time had come little to choose between two evenly matched sides. Spain had shadow that sometimes, but Russia is playing its part in a tactical encounter intriguing. The opportunities were at a premium, but there was much to admire and none of infertility that has hit Spain in the quarter-finals with Italy stagnation.

Five minutes after the break Spain were ahead. It is a goal created and completed in Barcelona with Iniesta cut infield before crossing for Xavi to volley past Akinfeev from close range.

The goal boosted by the Spanish and within two minutes that could have doubled their advantage when Torres was Xavi received a cross only to shoot. The striker squandered more chances to extend Spain to the head and was eventually replaced by Danny Giza.

Guus Hiddink rang the changes in Russia by introducing Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and Dmitri Sychev, but with anonymity throughout Arshavin, substitutes are unable to make any impact on proceedings. Perhaps distracted by the praise from his luxurious way in recent days, Zenit St Petersburg playmaker was removed from the game tonight, and without him, Russia simply does not work after the break.

It was the substitute Giza that Russia finally ended the hopes of a return when they picked up a beautiful weighted chip Fabregas and finished coolly past the promotion of Akinfeev.

Fabregas, a growing influence on the game, was very active in Spain's third goal when he sailed to the left touchline and set up David Silva, who took a touch before calmly stroking the ball past Akinfeev.

Thus, Spain, the perennial underachievers have finally come good. They face a battle scars from Germany at the end of Sunday, but it produces enough in these results indicating that the game will start as favourites.


Spain 0-3 Russia

Annotation: Xavi 50, Daniel Giza 73, David Silva 82

Half: 0-0

Teams:
Russia: 1-Igor Akinfeyev, 22-Alexander Anyukov, 2-Vasily Berezutsky, Sergei Ignashevich 4, 18 Yuri Zhirkov, 17-Konstantin Zyryanov, 11-Sergei Semak, 20-Igor Semshov (15 Diniyar Bilyaletdinov 56), 9 - Ivan Saenko (21-Dmitry Sychev 57), 10-Andrei Arshavin, 19-Roman Pavlyuchenko.

Spain: 1-Iker Casillas, 15-Sergio Ramos, 5-Carles Puyol, 4-Carlos Marchena, Joan Capdevila 11-, 19-Marcos Senna, 6-Andres Iniesta, 8-Xavi (14-Xabi Alonso 69), 21 -- -- David Silva, 7-David Villa (10-Cesc Fabregas 35), 9-Fernando Torres (17-Daniel Giza 69)

Referee: Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium)