By David Ferguson
Russia's dreams of European glory were washed away by a devastating second half performance from Spain in Vienna last night. The rain and Spain poured down on the Russian defensive plain, and thunder rumbled and lightning flashed as the Spanish fired a few crackers of their own.
First half parity was transformed by an opener from Xavi Hernandez early in the second half, and as the game wore on Spain strangled any hope of a Russian fightback with further goals from Daniel Guiza and David Silva. Andres Iniesta was the midfield magician who conjured up the Spanish victory, and he was named Carlsberg man of the match, but my choice would have been right back Sergio Ramos.
A player (bottom) of Russia vies with Spain's Xabi Alonso during the semifinal match at the Euro 2008 Championships in Vienna, Austria, on June 26, 2008. Spain won 3-0. (Photo: Xinhua)
He was constantly in evidence in attack, creating chances for himself and for the Spanish forwards, notably Torres. But in defence he was immense. Russian's Arshavin and Zhirkov had tormented the right side of the Dutch defence for 90 minutes in their quarter-final, and that was where the foundations of victory were laid, but from Ramos they got no change whatsoever.
Arshavin, the author of that quarter-final win, has been linked with a move to Barcelona, but last night Spain gave him a foretaste of the challenge he would face in La Liga. He was reduced to anonymity in the second half, and cut a forlorn and invisible figure behind the equally-struggling Pavyluchenko.
Both teams lined up at the start of the match with grounds for optimism. Although Spain could look back on a comprehensive 4-1 victory over Russia in the Group D first phase as a source of confidence, a tentative performance against Italy in the Quarters, while the fast-improving Russia were overwhelming a much-fancied and on-form Dutch side, cautioned against complacency.
Both sides were quickly into their stride, although it was the Spanish who threatened with some early corners, and they were first to test the opposition goalkeeper with a shot from Torres in the 6th minute. Shortly afterwards David Villa put in a more testing effort from outside the box that had Igor Akinfeev at full stretch, but he turned the ball round his right hand post.
Although the Spaniards were giving more work to Akinfeev it was by no means one-way traffic. Both sides were quick and incisive in their build-up and play flowed smoothly from one end to the other. It was like watching two martial arts experts sparring – both attacking with quick hands and feet, and looking for their opponent to give the slightest hint of an opening.
Spain manufactured further opportunities in the 23rd minute when Ramos stung Akinfeev's hands with a sharp angled drive, and then a long free-kick from David Villa which bounced awkwardly in front of the Russian keeper, but which he managed to smother. Unfortunately, Spain's hat-trick hero from the group match between the two sides injured his foot taking the kick, but the enforced substitution brought Cesc Fabregas onto the field, and in due course he would play a critical part in the final outcome.
A period of Russian ascendancy followed. Pavyluchenko curled a beautiful shot towards the top left corner of Iker Casillas' goal, and the fingertip save that deflected it round the post was so fine that referee Frank de Bleeckere failed to spot it and awarded a goal kick. Minutes later Pavyluchenko again struggled to connect properly with a shot inside the box. Then he failed to make it third time lucky with a chance which he really should have put away. He showed a great touch to control a cross from the left with his chest, but as he bore into the box and prepared to strike he allowed himself to be put off by the attentions of the desperate defence, and sliced the ball wide from just outside the six-yard box. Russia would not come so close to scoring again in the rest of the match.
The initiative swung back to Spain again with shots from Torres and Ramos again on target, and they were the ones pressing on the Russian defence as the first half ended.