In pictures: the choose of the greatest from Spain v France
One 100 caps, 2 objectives plus victory inside a competitive match against France for the first-time inside Spain's history. Revenge too for the last time they were knocked from a main tournament, six extended years ago. Xabi Alonso was found on the losing side which evening inside Hanover. He led the winning side about Saturday evening inside Donetsk. Everything has changed because then: Spain have gone from habitual failures to perpetual winners. And, eventually, they were comfortable here. France were just unable to trouble the globe plus European champions. Alonso helped control much of the game. He decided it too.
He scored a first-half header along with a 90th-minute penalty to keep Spain's hopes of achieving a distinctive treble: Euros-World Cup-Euros. Portugal are upcoming. It usually looked this way following Spain scored a 19th-minute opener. Whenever Alonso coolly side-footed inside a penalty a small over an hr later, victory was secure. For all concern, Spain progressed. The key was control, attained with dominance of midfield. Vicente Del Bosque accepted to doubts plus solved them by choosing Cesc Fábregas over Fernando Torres. Laurent Blanc insisted it was impossible to compete with Spain for possession plus expected which France might enjoy just a 3rd of the ball. His prediction wasn't far off. He had hoped France will be risky whenever they did receive it. That element of the program didn't come together.
Laurent Koscielny came into substitute the suspended Philippe Mexès plus there were 2 right-backs inside the French side, with Anthony Réveillère getting his initially minutes of the tournament; before him, Mathieu Debuchy returned to the defence from midfield. The program appeared clear: Garer l'autobus. However France parked it high than expected. Spain were available a certain room to find behind the back line.
When Del Bosque complained which the criticism had been exaggerated, he did acknowledge which there were ingredients of Spain's performances which had not happy him. Two words were repeated often: profundidad plus verticalidad. He desired level to the attacks, principally within the full-backs, plus better leading edge, more directness.
Here, Spain looked for the area behind the defence frequently plus following only five minutes Alonso swung a curling ball over the best for Fábregas, that tumbled inside the location, whilst both full-backs were selecting their runs carefully plus frequently. Whenever Jordi Alba progressed found on the left inside the 19th minute, they paid dearly.
The move started with apparently small harmful aim, till an virtually imperceptible swivel from Andrés Iniesta's hips along with a dash from Alba changed everything. Suddenly, the pace quickened plus France were opened. Spain were inside the lead. The ball was moved from appropriate to left, Xavi Hernández rolling a easy pass to Iniesta. He snaked away from his marker plus slotted a ball for Alba's run. Alba got away from Debuchy, stumbling behind him, plus was today before the play. The cross was clipped towards the back post where Alonso was closing inside. His header, down about to the turf plus back up into the far corner, was impeccable.
So much for 2 right-backs. So usually, it has taken Spain a extended time to receive the opener. Then, they had got it early; today, France had small choice yet to break with their program. They not managed it. Spain may keep the ball plus some keep the ball like Spain. Alonso began superbly: he found Fábregas for the penalty appeal, virtually amazed Hugo Lloris from long-range plus got the starting objective. Iniesta plus Fábregas then combined with a typical move, the Barcelona midfielder clipping a first-time ball into Iniesta's path. Spain were ruling possession, whether or not Iker Casillas was forced to create a sharp conserve from Yohan Cabaye's free-kick.
Early inside the 2nd half, Karim Benzema's fast first-time pass looked for Franck Ribéry yet Sergio Ramos shut him down. A time later the same 2 players combined following Cabaye had claimed the ball from Sergio Busquets. Simply because there was the gap to exploit, the final pass was improperly hit. Almost instantly, Ribéry was concerned when more, Benzema peeling away, nevertheless the pass was mis-hit. These were no over glimpses however they had come inside fast succession: it was obvious where France's danger was probably to come from.
But the risk was fleeting, whether or not there was clearly apparently better aim regarding Blanc's side. Ribery's cross found Debuchy to head over plus there was clearly half an hr remaining. It felt like Spain were no longer inside complete control yet neither were they ever inside trouble. Lloris had to be quickly off his line to avoid Fábregas from adding a next. Meanwhile, Pedro plus Torres were getting ready to come about, providing a more direct, quicker danger. As they were provided instructions, Samir Nasri plus Jérémy Ménez were limbering up. Decisive moments contacted, but the game in actual fact drifted away.
Pedro plus Torres had been found on the pitch for just a minute whenever they virtually combined. Busquets then gave the ball away with an ill-advised flick which virtually caught Spain out, Gaël Clichy slotting the ball up the line plus Ribery sprinting into the location to pull back a sharp, low cross which Casillas had to intercept. And which, inside truth, was which.
Decisive moments became quite dead ones till Pedro was bundled over by Réveillère plus Alonso stepped about send Spain by to the semi-finals.
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