Euro 2012: Spain into final in a penalty shootout.
The only goals in Spain's semi-final victory over Portugal came through a penalty shootout with Cesc Fabregas scoring the winner.
The only goals in Spain's semi-final victory over Portugal came through a penalty shootout with Cesc Fabregas scoring the winner.
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Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas (L) scores the winning penalty despite Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio during the penalty shoot out of the Portugal vs. Spain Euro 2012 semi-final match at the Donbass Arena in Donetsk. AFP
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Spain through to Euro 2012 final after beating Portugal in penalty shootout
Spain will defend their title in the final after collecting a hard-fought shootout win against neighbors Portugal in the Euro 2012 semis.
The opening half at the Donbass Arena in Donetsk, Ukraine, saw no goals, which was the result of some great work from the Portuguese team.
Paulo Bento’s men were very attentive at the back and made plenty of tackles to make sure Spain would have less of an advantage in possession then in their previous games – just 56 per cent.
They made only one mistake during the first 45 minutes when they left Andres Iniesta unmarked in the box, but his curving shot missed the upper corner of Rui Patrício’s goal.
Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (C) vies with Spanish defender Jordi Alba (L) and Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets. AFP
Cristiano Ronaldo was the most active man in the Portuguese attacks. Two of his long-range strikes were off target, but he still managed to force a yellow for Real Madrid teammate, Sergio Ramos.
The game remained equal after the break, but the tension was mounting, with the Turkish referee showing four yellows to Spanish players and five to their opponents.
Spanish defender Alvaro Arbeloa (2ndL) is given a yellow card by the Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir, one of nine given out during the match. AFP
The defending European champions tried to finish the game off in regular time, sending more men forward in the dying minutes, and were nearly found out by Portugal’s speedy counter-attacks.
Ronaldo was on the end of such a move, but his shot went over the bar, prompting mocking cries of 'Messi! Messi!' from the Spanish fans and sending the semi-final into overtime.
Spanish defender Jordi Alba (R) vies with Portuguese midfielder Nani /AFP
Spain turned up the heat in the extra half hour, with Pedro Rodriguez and Jordi Alba creating the best chance of the whole 120 minutes for Iniesta, but Rui Patrício saved his team after a point-blank effort.
The shootout was inevitable on the night, with fortune favouring the holders in the end.
Xabi Alonso and Joao Moutinho both saw their opening penalties saved. Then, when Zenit Saint-Petersburg centre-back Bruno Alves slammed his side's fourth penalty against the crossbar, Cesc Fabregas stepped up. Just as he had done in the penalty shootout win over Italy in the Euro 2008 quarter-finals, the Barcelona man held his nerve, steering the ball into the bottom-left corner to send Portugal home.
Spanish players celebrate after winning the Euro 2012 semi-final match. AFP
"We are so happy to have reached another final. I don't know if that has ever been done in history," Fabregas told a Spanish television channel, his voice cracking with emotion.
"They told me I was going to take the second kick, but I said: 'No, I want to take the fifth one.'"
Germany and Italy will decide the other finalist when the two sides clash in Warsaw, Poland later today. AFP
penalty shootout – in football, a series of chances to kick the ball into the goal, given to both teams as a way of deciding who wins the game when both teams have the same score การดวลจุดโทษ
semi-final (or semifinal) – one of the two games that are played immediately before the last game in a sports competition. The two people or teams who win the semifinals play each other in the last game, called the final, to decide who wins the competition การแข่งขันกีฬารอบรองชนะเลิศ
defend a title (championship) – to win a competition again after winning the previous time it was held ชนะอีกครั้งหลังจากชนะเลิศครั้งก่อน
attentive – watching or listening to something carefully ระมัดระวัง, อย่างตั้งอกตั้งใจ
tackle – (in football ( soccer ), hockey, etc.) to try and take the ball from an opponent เข้าแย่งลูก
advantage – a condition giving a greater chance of success ความได้เปรียบ
possession – control of the ball การครองบอล
unmarked – undefended, i.e., not having a player from the opposite team near
box – penalty box or area; the area in front of the goal เขตโทษ
curving – moving in a curling or twisting way (เตะ)โค้ง
long-range – not close; from a long distance ระยะไกล
strike – an act of hitting or kicking something/somebody การตี, การเตะ
target – a person, business, building, area, etc., or in this case, the goal, that someone intends to attack เป้าหมาย
off target – missing the intended target พลาดเป้า
teammate – a member of the same team or group as yourself ผู้ร่วมกลุ่ม
equal – having the same number, score, etc. เท่ากัน, เสมอ
tension – the feeling of being so nervous or worried that you can’t relax ความตึงเครียด
mount – to increase เพิ่มขึ้น
referee – a person who is in charge of a sports game and who makes certain that the rules are followed ผู้ตัดสิน, กรรมการตัดสิน
opponent – a person or team being competed against in a sports event คู่ต่อสู้
defending champion – a player or team who won a competition the previous time it was held ผู้ชนะเลิศครั้งก่อน
regular time – (in sports) the normal time allowed for a match to be played, i.e., 90 minutes in football, not counting an extra time
found out – (in sports) catching an opponent out of the right position and, often, scoring a goal as a result
speedy – happening very quickly รวดเร็ว
counter-attack – an attack made in response to the attack of an enemy or opponent in war, sport or an argument การโต้ตอบ
(cross)bar – a horizontal bar that forms the top of a goal คานประตู
prompt – to cause someone to take action กระตุ้น
mocking – when you laugh at someone or something in an unkind way หัวเราะเยาะ, เย้ยหยัน
turn up the heat – to increase the pressure เพิ่มแรงกดดัน
point-blank – touching or very close to the person or thing it is aimed at ซึ่งยิงในระยะใกล้, ซึ่งเป็นระยะเผาขน
inevitable – unavoidable ซึ่งหลีกเลี่ยงไม่ได้
fortune – luck โชค
favour – to give an advantage to someone or something เอื้อ
holders – defending champions; title holders ผู้ชนะเลิศครั้งก่อน
slam – to hit with great force ชนเข้าอย่างแรง
quarter-finals – competitions between the last eight competitors remaining in a tournament การแข่งขันก่อนรอบบรองชนะเลิศ
hold your nerve – to remain calm despite being in a difficult or dangerous situation ควบคุมอารมณ์ได้แม้จะเป็นในสถานการณ์ที่ยากลำบากหรือเป็นอันตราย
steer – to control the direction in which something or someone moves นำทาง
emotion – strong feeling such as anger or love, or strong feelings in general อารมณ์
crack with emotion – having such strong feelings it is difficult not to cry
clash – a fight between groups of people; a competition between two people or teams การปะทะกันสองฝ่าย
