BULLS HAVE BEEN CROWNED

SPAIN CAPTAIN IKER CASILLAS WITH HENERI DELAUNARY TROPHY

Spain finally get rid of their cup drought by winning the final match against Germany in the Euro 2008. When the second half injury time ends lumed spain 1, Germany0. Spanish squad made scintilating performance outrating Germans in both attack and attitude. The acrobatic Torress spearheaded Espana bull fighters who scored the only goal in the match. It is after 44 years Spain wins a major tournament.

HISTORIC WIN AFTER 44 YEARS

In the final Iberians dominated with wonderful short-passing game, superb power play and tactical finesse. Germany put very little together and were visibly struggling. It was a fast-paced, exciting and gripping encounter, despite Spain being in control for almost all the contest. Spain played attractive style of football, in fact they were on a different plane from everyone else in the tournament.

FERNANDO TORES STRIKES WINNING GOAL

XAVI HERNANDEZ-PLAYER OF THE UEFA EURO 2008

Spanish midfielder Xavi Hernandez,28 year old FC Barcelona player has been selected as the Castrol Player of the Tournament for UEFA EURO 2008 .He played five matches at the finals scored one goal against Russia in Semi final.

UEFA technical director Andy Roxburgh said: "We chose him because we think he epitomises the Spanish style of play. He was extremely influential in the whole possession, passing, penetrating kind of game that Spain played."

FERNANDO TORRES-MAN OF THE MATCH

Spanish striker Fernando Torres decleared as Man of the Match in the UEFA Euro Cup 2008. He shoted winning goal in the 33 minute and led tireless attack against Germany.

TALKS AFTER THE FINAL

LUIS ARAGONES, SPAIN COACH......




"We have put together a group that plays well, that keeps the ball and mixes their passes very well and that is difficult to stop. We work hard together, those that play more and those that play slightly less, and we've managed to get there. This is a happy day for Spain – we've won this tournament in style and we're very happy. Now we will start expecting to win on this sort of stage.Many people will look at this Spain team because it has been a model for playing football. I think all football lovers want people to make good combinations, to get into the penalty area and to score goals. At the beginning I said that if we managed this squad well, we would be champions. The team just thought I was trying to give them confidence. I just hope Spain carry on in this way and have many more victories.Fernando Torres is a great player for Liverpool [FC] and for Spain. He can do anything. Why? He has such extraordinary speed and he knows how to dribble at pace. He is so young and could learn to do anything. He could be one of the best players in the world, no doubt. I am delighted. I usually don't show what I feel, but I'm full inside. I don't get very emotional but there were moments out there from some of my players that filled me with emotion. I'm like that – I don't show it but I'm so full of feelings. That's my way of showing it – other people might be more expressive. "

JOACHIM LOW .GERMAN COACH......

"I'd like to congratulate Spain and their coach, because we have to recognise the high quality of their play. They played really well during the whole tournament, and today they were technically excellent and had more chances than us. They deserved to win. We're disappointed that we didn't win but I think we can be satisfied with the tournament as a whole. The team performed very well over the 45 days we've spent together, we had a lot of fun and enjoyed it, but we were very ambitious too. This defeat is going to be an incentive to work hard over the next two years in a number of areas and to improve, so that in qualifying we can reach our target of playing in the [FIFA] World Cup.For some time, our focus has been on playing without the ball, ball possession, fast passes and direct contact. This is important in football, particularly at high speed and under pressure. We're aware that Spain are very good at that. Over the last two years we have shown that we're also fast and good at combinations. Looking at the last few tournaments we're right at the top in Europe and the team in recent years have learned a lot. They have developed well but we know we must not lose energy and strength – we must go on working and improving."

UEFA EURO CUP FINAL 2008- FINAL TALK JUST BEFORE THE MATCH

German Coach Joachim Löw

"It's going to be a very intensive match, Both Spain and Germany have good players and like to go forward so it's going to be very interesting. We tried to make certain corrections after we lost to Croatia [in the group stage], but when we're against a team who play attacking football we can reach that level and keep up. Technically speaking, both teams have strong offensive players. It will be a fast, flexible and variable match."

Luis Aragonés. Spanish coach

"Germany are very strong physically and are dangerous from set-pieces. They are strong on high balls and that's where we might suffer. Perhaps we will need to buy a ladder or something [to deal with the aerial threat]. But I'm sure Germany have some concerns about the football we play. With the ball on the ground we might create some problems for them”

RUSSIANS WASHED AWAY IN SPANISH DRIZZLE

Russians suspended from Euro cup 2008 with the crush of 3-0 against Spain in the Second Semi final. The unbeaten Spain will meet Germany in the final of UEFA Euro cup 2008 on Sunday eve at Ernest Harpel Stadium, Vienna.

In the first halves both Russia and Spain failed to clear target but they tried better even in the strong rain . In the second halves Spain showed upper hand in attack as in the 51 minute Savi strikes first goal from the shoot of Andrei Iniesta . The second goal in the 72 nd minute was the result of sharp move of Fabrigas who extended ball to Daniel Guisa he finished well before block the Russian golly . The third goal in the 82nd minute for Spain was the result of a diagonal pass of Fabrigas shooted by David Silva from the left wing.

Russians begin the play with a lot of confidence but tireless rain maid their actions tough and unfortunately Arshavin and Pulocheno failed to connect the ball as they get. Spanish defenders like Carlose Puol and Jovan Kapdevil blocked well the Russian attack.

GERMANS CEASED TURKEY

In the first semifinal of UEFA Euro cup 2008 German’s finish off the young blood Turkey in the last minute by the strike of philipp Lahm as they stride proudly in to the real battle ground of Harper arena, Vienna with the outstanding victory of 3-2. In the thrilling beginning Turkey took lead first by the stunning goal of Uger Boral from the bar beaten shot of Kasim .Germans find an equalizer in the 22the minute of the game by the shot of Bastian Schweinsteiger . In the first half Turkey played action-packed game endows the beauty of both attack and defense but the professional German’s tune the score on 1-1. Germans played a winning mentality in the second half as they find upper hand by the goal of Miroslave Klose in the 79th minute but Turkish squad cancelled his effort by the goal of Semih Senturk after seven minutes. In the nineteenth minute Lahm’s finished Thomas Hitzlsperger’s pass safely by a superb touch which crushed Turkish dreams of Euro cup final. Germans will meet the winners of group b semifinal.

What Philiph Lahm,man of the match talked to media after the match.

"It was a great ball to me, i got a good first touch which allowed me to take it on and hit it really well. It is hard to describe the emotions you feel, but when you see the subs' bunch running towards you, it shows the character and togetherness in the team.I appreciate that I didnt too well with their second equaliser, and I made some mistakes during the 90th minutes, but the goal I scoared was the most important of career. A semifinal is always a special match and is always a fight. We didn't play as well as we'd wanted to , but there are ups and downs in every game and maybe these were moe extreame than susal, particularly with the late goals for either side. "We are delighted to have come through the match, especially after we lost the semi-final [of the FIFA World Cup to Italy] in 2006. You don't reach too many semi-finals or finals at this level, so our goal now is to win the tournament. We are delighted to be through and we'll be playing for the fans. It doesn't matter who we play because we will be ready for it."

SPAIN ON HISTORIC WIN

Italian squad expelled from uefa euro cup 2008 in a penalty shoot out for 2-4, after the goal less 120 minutes powerless game. David Villa, Santi Cazorla, Marcos Senna, Cese Fabregas won goal for Spain and fabio Grosso and Mauro Camoranesi did for Italy.

Luis Aragones ,Spanish Coach

It is first time Spain has reached the semifinal of a major tournament since the European Cahampionship final in 1984. Spanish coach Luis Aragones didnt supressed his happiness. "Like all the Spanish camp I am delighted by this victory. But we have done nothing more than win a small battle .I think Spain just about deserved to win , but we didn't play good football and neither did Italy. The rhythm of was slow and if we had been able to speed it up a bit more may be we would have had more chances . It was not a great game though". In the semifinal birth Spain will meet Russia on the eve of25th june.

RUSSIA IN SEMIFINAL

Guess Hiddink’s Russian squad summed up Netherlands history in UEFA Euro cup 2008 by a tactical victory of 3-1 fixed the Semifinal birth for the first time in the history of European championship.

In the first half both posts left maiden but in the 56th minute Roman Pavlyuchenko's break Vanda sar's block by connecting the diagonal pass of Arshav. Ruud van Nistelrooy's headder in the 86th minute extended match to extra time. In the 112 th minute substitute Torbinski's close range brought Russians up and just after 4 minutes stripped the orange squad completly. In the semifinal Russia will meet Spain or Italy on Thursday at basel park. Torbinski and Denis Kolodin of Spain will miss the match due to suspension.


Match statistics: Holland vs Russia
Goal Scored : Holland-1 ---Russia-3
Yellow Card: 3-------------3
Read Card: 0----------------0
Shot on goal: 8--------------11
Shots wide: 15---------------13
Fouls Committed: 23---------27
Corners:4--------------------11
Offsides: 6-------------------4
Ball Poss.(time):39.17-------34.14
Ball Poss.(%): 53%----------47%

CROETIA KNOCKED OUT IN SHOOT OUT

The invinsible Croatia finally ruled out of Euro 2008.In nail biting finish of the second quarter final of Euro 2008 Turkey squad defeated men in blue .Turkey siezed the victory from the Croatian team as there were no goals in the first to halves and the match extended to extra time.

The match remained un fair since both teams played with a defensive caution which ended in a tedious draw, 0-0 through the statutory 90 minutes war.An over defensive Turkish squad defeated the Croatian players getting in to their penalty area in the first half and they restricted their assault in the midfield.


In the second half a lot of close ranges were missed by Croatian strikers.The Croatian strikers and Turkish defenders were challenging for the ball to the 90nth minute , but the score card remained empty.Ivan Klasnic headed Croatia in front with seconds left - only for Turkey's Semih Senturk to volley the equaliser with the last kick of the game in the half an hour extra time.Croatia almost won the match as Klasnic moved the net in the 29nth minute of tge extra time . Turkey's was a quick reflex as Senturk hit the goal in the very next and last minute of the allted time.

Arda Turan, Semih and Hamit Altintop scored in the shoot-out for Turkey. Luca Modric, Ivan Rakitic missed for Croatia and Turkey keeper Rustu saved the deciding kick from Mladen Petric. Croatia won all their league matches.