歐錦賽 - Espana 2 : 1 Sweden - 西班牙

http://www.euro2008.uefa.com/tournament/matches/match=300697/report=rp.html#villa+leaves+late+sink+sweden

( http://tinyurl.com/5plvgz )

David Villa struck two minutes into stoppage time as Spain
defeated a stubborn Sweden 2-1 at the Stadion Tivoli Neu in
Innsbruck to virtually guarantee their presence in the UEFA
EURO 2008 quarter-finals.

Leading scorer
The game had looked like ending in a draw after Zlatan
Ibrahimovi?'s second goal in as many games had wiped out
Fernando Torres's 15th-minute opener on a chilly evening
in the Austrian Alps. Yet Villa, the scorer of a hat-trick
in the opening triumph over Russia, had other ideas as he
raced on to Joan Capdevila's pass and dispatched it low into
the net. It moved Spain three points clear at the section
summit and himself in front as the tournament's leading scorer.

No surprise
Spain coach Luis Aragones surprised no one by selecting the
same XI that had started the Russia game, but there were only
hints of the devastating fluidity of that 4-1 win as Sweden
hustled and harried effectively. Ibrahimovi? could even have
given Lars Lagerback's side the lead inside the opening minute
only for the FC Internazionale Milano striker's normally assured
touch to escape him when well placed inside the box.

Lunging in
Spain, playing towards the red-and-yellow masses of their supporters
behind Andreas Isaksson's goal, did give flashes of the form which
has seen them billed as potential champions. Andres Iniesta's snaking
run and strike had already had the Swedish goalkeeper scrambling,
but Isaksson was powerless as Torres poked the Iberians in front
on the quarter-hour. Villa threw the Swedish defence off balance
as he unexpectedly flicked a short corner to David Silva, and the
left midfielder had time to angle a ball to Torres who lunged in
to turn in his first UEFA European Championship goal.

Frailties exposed
The Swedish riposte was almost instant, Johan Elmander ruffling
the side-netting after he had latched on to a delightful Henrik
Larsson flick. It was a warning to Spain though and – after the
injured Carles Puyol had been replaced by Raul Albiol on 24 minutes
– their defensive frailties were again exposed. Elmander's searching
ball from the right found Ibrahimovi? unmarked at the far post, and
though he again failed to control cleanly, a slip by Sergio Ramos
allowed him to turn and fire low past Iker Casillas.

Bravely blocked
With Ibrahimovi? failing to emerge for the second half, Sweden lost
momentum, and it was Spain who threatened to break the deadlock soon
after the hour. Silva and Villa's neat interchange of passes led to
the former's shot being parried by Isaksson, who then took a nasty
blow in the face as he bravely blocked Villa's follow-up. As the
Sweden No1 lay grounded, Torres had sent a left-footed drive goalwards
but Daniel Andersson made a timely block. Isaksson recovered sufficiently
to brilliantly turn behind Marcos Senna's low drive in the 68th minute as
Spain poured forward.

Late drama
Though the game was being played exclusively in their half,
Sweden could have grabbed a late winner as Peter Hansson turned
a free-kick back across the goal where Larsson arrived just too
late to turn it in. Instead the glory went to Villa, leaving Spain
as the likely winners of a section also featuring Russia and Greece.


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MaraVILLA!!



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