Spain won their first trophy in 44 years on Sunday in Vienna as they beat three-time champions Germany 1-0 in the EURO 2008 final. Fernando Torres scored the only goal of the match in the 33rd minute.
Spain seemed to start tentatively and a mistake from Sergio Ramos gave Miroslav Klose a glorious opportunity after just four minutes, but after taking the ball past Carles Puyol his next touch was too strong and he ran the ball out of play.
Spain gradually started to settle but three-time champions
Germany still had the next chance, Thomas Hitzlsperger hitting a
tame shot straight at Spain captain Iker Casillas.
Just before the quarter-hour mark Jens Lehmann came to Germany's
rescue as a cross from Andres Iniesta deflected off Christoph
Metzelder's boot and only a stunning reaction save from the Arsenal
stopper prevented a goal.
Spain were starting to take control and Torres headed a Xavi
free-kick over the bar. On 23 minutes Sergio Ramos cut in from the right and crossed to the back post where Torres climbed above the considerably taller
Per Mertersacker; his downward header beat Lehmann but
unfortunately for Spain not the base of the post.
EURO 2008 Final: Germany - Spain, Vienna, June 29, 2008
Up the other end Spain's slightly suspect defence was struggling
to cope with the direct running of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas
Podolski but Germany created little despite captain Michael
Ballack's volley being blocked by Sergio Ramos.
Then on 33 minutes Torres put Spain ahead with a moment of
sublime quality. He latched onto a piercing through ball from Xavi,
outpaced Philipp Lahm and chipped the ball over the advancing
Lehmann with a flicked shot that could have threaded the eye of a
needle.
Spain were suddenly rampant and Iniesta crossed to the back post
where the unmarked David Silva had a rush of blood to the head and
lashed a volley wildly over.
Spain seemed brimming with confidence at the start of the second
period and both Xavi and Silva went close with long range efforts
before Torres again outpaced the German defence but couldn't quite
reach the ball before Lehmann came out to smother.
Germany coach Joachim Loew responded by sending on a second
forward in Kevin Kuranyi to replace midfielder Hitzlsperger. That immediately shifted the momentum of the game and on the hour a mistake from Puyol was almost punished as Ballack fired just wide; moments later Casillas came storming out of goal to take a cross from Ballack off Kuranyi's head.
Spain remained dangerous and Sergio Ramos forced Lehmann into a
fine block with a powerful header from a Xavi free-kick before
Torsten Frings cleared a shot from Iniesta off the line.
Brazil-born Marcos Senna came within inches of settling the game
in the final 10 minutes but he couldn't quite stretch his leg out
far enough to meet substitute Daniel Guiza's downward header with
the goal at his mercy.
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Spain won their first trophy in 44 years on Sunday in Vienna as they beat three-time champions Germany 1-0 in the EURO 2008 final. Fernando Torres scored the only goal of the match in the 33rd minute.
Spain seemed to start tentatively and a mistake from Sergio Ramos gave Miroslav Klose a glorious opportunity after just four minutes, but after taking the ball past Carles Puyol his next touch was too strong and he ran the ball out of play.
Spain gradually started to settle but three-time champions
Germany still had the next chance, Thomas Hitzlsperger hitting a
tame shot straight at Spain captain Iker Casillas.
Just before the quarter-hour mark Jens Lehmann came to Germany's
rescue as a cross from Andres Iniesta deflected off Christoph
Metzelder's boot and only a stunning reaction save from the Arsenal
stopper prevented a goal.
Spain were starting to take control and Torres headed a Xavi
free-kick over the bar. On 23 minutes Sergio Ramos cut in from the right and crossed to the back post where Torres climbed above the considerably taller
Per Mertersacker; his downward header beat Lehmann but
unfortunately for Spain not the base of the post.
EURO 2008 Final: Germany - Spain, Vienna, June 29, 2008
Up the other end Spain's slightly suspect defence was struggling
to cope with the direct running of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas
Podolski but Germany created little despite captain Michael
Ballack's volley being blocked by Sergio Ramos.
Then on 33 minutes Torres put Spain ahead with a moment of
sublime quality. He latched onto a piercing through ball from Xavi,
outpaced Philipp Lahm and chipped the ball over the advancing
Lehmann with a flicked shot that could have threaded the eye of a
needle.
Spain were suddenly rampant and Iniesta crossed to the back post
where the unmarked David Silva had a rush of blood to the head and
lashed a volley wildly over.
[bild2]
Spain seemed brimming with confidence at the start of the second
period and both Xavi and Silva went close with long range efforts
before Torres again outpaced the German defence but couldn't quite
reach the ball before Lehmann came out to smother.
Germany coach Joachim Loew responded by sending on a second
forward in Kevin Kuranyi to replace midfielder Hitzlsperger. That immediately shifted the momentum of the game and on the hour a mistake from Puyol was almost punished as Ballack fired just wide; moments later Casillas came storming out of goal to take a cross from Ballack off Kuranyi's head.
Spain remained dangerous and Sergio Ramos forced Lehmann into a
fine block with a powerful header from a Xavi free-kick before
Torsten Frings cleared a shot from Iniesta off the line.
Brazil-born Marcos Senna came within inches of settling the game
in the final 10 minutes but he couldn't quite stretch his leg out
far enough to meet substitute Daniel Guiza's downward header with
the goal at his mercy.
