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  • Kick-off: 19:45
  • Venue: Wals-Siezenheim, Salzburg
  • Attendance: 30000
  • Referee: Webb, H

Live Commentary

90mins

GREECE 1 - 2 SPAIN: Spain remain unbeaten in Euro 2008 and the defending champions end the tournament without a point to their name, despite a big effort tonight

90mins

VYNTRA is booked as Greece start to show their frustration. It's been their best game of the championship but they will leave with nothing

90mins

Greece look buried now and Spain are straight back on the attack, with Alonso having a vicious shot deflected out for a corner

88mins

GREECE 1 - 2 SPAIN: Spain come back on the counter-attack and a deep cross from Garcia finds GUIZA in enough space to place a header beyond Nikopolidis and high into the net

88mins

A move that was Spanish-like in its fluency and took Greece from the edge of their box right into Spain's but the final shot is miss-kicked

86mins

Stelios Giannakopoulos is on for Salpingidis as the Greeks look to fresh legs

85mins

Spain attack on the break with pace and Guiza forces Nikolpolidis to make a good save to his right

85mins

Finally Greece find themselves back in the Spanish box after five minutes of Spanish dominace but their shot is well wide

83mins

Sergio Garcia blasts a good chance mind bogglingly high over the bar from 16 yards. He's not had his shooting boots today as another effort isn't hit well from 20 yards and Nikopolidis has no trouble with it

82mins

Too many passes between Fabregas and Guiza in the Greek box when, with just two defenders for company, a shot was the better option

81mins

Another clever through-ball from Alonso finds Guiza inside the Greek box but his control is poor and the chance has gone

79mins

Greece will have to manage a set-piece without Karagounis now and Basinas' cross is headed away before a pass back into the area found Ioannis Amanatidis in space but his shot is skewed high and wide from 10 yards out

78mins

Another tight angle shot from Spain, this time by Garica, who lifted the ball over the onrushing Nikopolidis but it rolled across the face of the goal and out of play

77mins

A cross from Spiropoulos drifted in dangerously towards Reina's goal but the Liverpool keeper watched carefully as it landed on the net

75mins

De la Red worked his way past Tziolis on the edge of the box but was off-balance when he struck the shot and the ball ends up in the stand

74mins

Alexandros Tziolis is on for Karagounis who has been the heart of this Greek side but has started to tire

73mins

Excellent shot from Guiza from a very tight angle but the ball was always going wide accross the Greek goal

72mins

BASINAS is rightly booked for that foul

71mins

It's poor this time and Basinas is forced to bring down Guiza as he broke at pace with the defenders in the wrong half of the pitch

71mins

Karagounis wins a free-kick on the right-wing and this will be another Greek speciality dish

70mins

Charisteas recieves some treatment after clashing heads with Juanito from that last set piece. He's on his feet though and should carry on, he's worked very hard tonight

69mins

Another Fabregas corner from the right side is deep and aimed at Juanito again, this time without any success

67mins

It is poor and Basinas heads it away at the front post. A second cross from Alonso is better and Juan Gutierrez Juanito gets his head to the ball and flashes an effort just over the bar

67mins

Guiza wins a corner after stealing the ball of the Greeks. Fabregas will swing this one in

66mins

Spain have barely touched the ball since that goal as Greece surge forward

64mins

Now it is Greece who will need to show some urgency and Charisteas does that, rounding Reina and shooting from a very tight angle but only finding the outside of the post

62mins

Kyrgiakos is going off for Paraskevas Antzas

61mins

GREECE 1 - 1 SPAIN: A blast from DE LA RED! A long ball from Fabregas is knocked down by Guiza into the path of de la Red and he hit an unstoppable drive from 10 yards

60mins

An excellent long ball from Karagounis found Charisteas on the left wing who did well to beat Albiol to the ball and lay a pass off to Salpingidis, but he slips as he shoots wide

59mins

Salpingidis hits a shot for Greece from 25 yards but Reina is happy to watch it skid past his right-hand post

58mins

Santiago Cazorla comes on for Iniesta who hasn't seen much of the ball this half

58mins

Spain are looking confident on the ball but still don't have any spark or urgency in front of goal

56mins

Fabregas almost threads a ball through for Guiza but Dellas stretches to intercept. A back-pass from Basinas almost puts him through as well but again Dellas is there to sweep up

54mins

The attack culminated with another wicked blast from Alonso, whose swerving drive beat Nikopolidis but hit the inside of the post and bounced clear

53mins

Loukas Vyntra and Charisteas combine well for Greece and almost break into the area but are tackled and Spain break with speed

52mins

A stunning 50 yard pass from Alonso finds Guiza on the edge of the box but he can't hold it up long enough for his teammates to join him. Spain could do with David Villa or Fernando Torres in attack now

50mins

Greece are notably more cautious this half. It looks like they will wait for the set-pieces to come before pouring men forward

48mins

Two minutes gone and it's free-kick time for Greece. It's good again and Reina just about scrambles the ball away from Dellas

46mins

Spain start the better, playing the ball around the edge of the Greece box with intent that they never really showed in the first half. The Greek defence holds firm though, blocking shots from Fabregas and de la Red

46mins

Greece begin the second half and it will be interesting to see how they handle the game now they have a lead

45mins

GREECE 1 - 0 SPAIN: The Group D leaders are behind at half-time despite creating the best chances. The Greeks are delighted with the score and should be pleased with their solid performance

45mins

Karagounis has gone down clutching his face after a challenge from Alonso but it all looks a little theatrical. Another free-kick for Greece in a dangerous spot

45mins

ARBELOA is given a yellow card for a tackle of Karagounis, who has been at the heart of most of the Greek moves

44mins

Greece will be delighted with that goal but Spain will feel it was preventable

42mins

GREECE 1 - 0 SPAIN: The free-kick was taken by Karagounis who whipped in his third excellent set-piece of the first half and found CHARISTEAS in acres of space and the big striker heads the ball past Jose Manuel Reina with great power

41mins

Greece win a free-kick soon after, to the left of centre 30 yards out

40mins

An excellent run from Iniesta down the left was ended as he flew into the area and went down under a challenge from Dellas but no penalty is awarded, the correct decision

39mins

Good chance for Garcia, who latched onto a supurb Fabregas cross, controlled the ball well in the area but was then unable to turn and get a decent shot away

38mins

The free-kick was laid off for Alonso who tried to place the ball to the left of Nikopolidis but the shot went a foot wide of the post

36mins

The Greeks will be happy with the relative inability of the Spanish midfield to create chances for Guiza and Garcia up front, although a foul by Karagounis gives them a free-kick 30 yards from goal

34mins

KARAGOUNIS is booked for the tackle on Iniesta

34mins

Fabregas almost broke free into the Greek area but the referee calls play back for a foul on Iniesta, who had made an excellent run in the first place

33mins

A fifth shot comes in from the Spaniards and again it is high and wide. That has been their main flaw this helf

32mins

A clever knock-down from Garcia for de la Red is wasted by the Real Madrid midfielder who attempted a return pass when a shot was the better option

31mins

A better long range effort comes in from Alonso, who attempted to curl a shot from 25 yards to the left of the Greek goal but he can't wrap his foot around the ball enough and it flies a few feet wide

30mins

England's Howard Webb awards a free kick on Katsouranis who took a knock to his knee and is hobling now, but no movement on the Greece bench

28mins

Spain respond with an ugly shot of their own from Guiza, 25 yards out, who gives the crowd a taste of the ball

27mins

Nikos Spiropoulos found some space on the left, crossed for Angelos Charisteas who layed the ball off for Konstantinos Katsouranis to shoot, but his effort is high and wide. Poor finish to an excellent move

26mins

Spain are beginning to look more dangerous now as de la Red drives a shot towards goal from 25 yards but it hits a Greek body on the edge of the box

24mins

The Greek 'keeper has hurt himself in that incident, his body hitting the post at full force as he scrambled in vain to get a hand to that supurb shot from Alonso. He should be alright to continue though

23mins

Audatious effort from Xabi Alonso loops over Nikopolidis but ends up just inches wide of the post! That was hit from inside his own half!

22mins

More pressure from Spain on the edge of the Greek box, but again Garcia fails to hold the ball up. It's been a frustrating last 15 minutes from Spain, some good signs without any chances

20mins

Good pressure from Fabregas gives Nikopolidis some trouble as he came out to claim a loose ball but the Greek defence helps their goalie out

19mins

Some good work from Basinas down the right wing forces Spain to concede a throw near their corner flag, but an overhead kick from Dimitrios Salpingidis concedes a free-kick for high feet

17mins

Garcia wins a free-kick on the right which everntually finds its way back to the striker on the edge of the box but, before he can turn, the Greeks win the ball and clear upfield

16mins

Greece will be happy with their start here in Salzburg. They've not let the creative force of Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas much time on the ball and have created some chances themselves

14mins

Greece win a free-kick on the left soon after which Karagounis whips in dangerously and is unlucky that a deflection takes the ball away from goal not towards it

13mins

Angelos Basinas takes this one and aims it at Dellas on the back post, but he is crowded out and the ball goes all the way over for a throw

13mins

A good run from Karagounis earns another free-kick on the right side

12mins

De la Red and Andres Iniesta try a one-two on the edge of the Greece area and almost break free with the move but the return pass was over hit and Greece can sweep clear

10mins

Raul Albiol wins a crucial header on the edge of the six yard box and averts any danger, but Spain can't afford to give away too many set-pieces that close to their goal

9mins

Yet another free-kick for Greece on the right wing. Giorgos Karagounis will take and the entire defence will lumber forward

8mins

A good move from Spain down the right allows Sergio Garcia to break into the area with the ball but he held on for too long and was tackled

7mins

Good signs early on, with Spain showing invention and intention and the Greeks looking to attack on the break

5mins

Again Greece win a set-piece, this time a free-kick which finds Traianos Dellas on the back post but he miss-kicked his effort and the ball went wide

4mins

Guiza again got behind the defence but he was too wide for a shot and his cross was easily gathered by Antonios Nikopolidis

3mins

Greece come back up and win a corner, and they are dangerous from set pieces. The cross was well flicked on but then cleared by Spain, the ball aimed for Daniel Guiza but it is overhit

1mins

Not that a second eleven team stopped Holland cruising past Romania yesterday and Spain attack early on, Ruben Gutierrez De la Red hitting a shot wide

1mins

Spain kick the game off, that's the Spanish second eleven anyway

0mins

Greece still have their pride to play for of course so this won't be a walkover. Expect the 2004 European Champions to be solid at the back and full of energy - although the new-look Spanish side have plenty to play for

0mins

Greece's Otto Rehhagel sticks by most of the players who lost to both Russia and Sweden, with goalkeeper Antonios Nikopolidis making his final appearance for his country.

0mins

Spain coach Luis Aragones fields a second string side with his side secure in top spot, with Fernando Torres and David Villa among those left on the bench.

0mins

Group D winners Spain face Greece in Salzburg, with the reigning champions' campaign coming to an unhappy ending.

Match Report

An improved Greece side were felled by a late Spain winner in Salzburg as the reigning European champions ended Euro 2008 without a point.

With their qualification already secured, Spain changed ten of their starting eleven, while Greece, who were knocked out after losing to Russia on Saturday, were playing for pride.

Spain started the match looking like the side with the least to play for. The passing and invention was there from Cesc Fabregas and Andres Iniesta, but no great urgency was shown.

Sergio Garcia was given a number of half-chances but his ability to turn those opportunities into goals was noticeably weaker than either that of David Villa or Fernando Torres.

Instead it was left to long-range efforts from Xabi Alonso, who curled two low shots just wide of Antonios Nikopolidis' left-hand post and saw a stunning strike from inside his own half miss the goal by a few inches with the Greek keeper beaten.

The lethargy Spain showed in attack finally cost them when Greece opened the scoring three minutes before half-time.

A number of dangerous set-pieces had already been sent in by Angelos Basinas and the ever-dangerous Giorgos Karagounis, but Spain persisted in giving away needless free-kicks inside their own half.

Inevitably it was a Karagounis set-piece that led to the goal, the Panathinaikos midfielder curling a cross in from the left and finding Angelos Charisteas in plenty of space to power a header past Jose Reina.

The Spaniards continued to look toothless inside the penalty area and only a wicked blast from Alonso, whose swerving drive beat Nikopolidis but hit the inside of the post after 54 minutes, came close to the Greek goal in the first 15 minutes of the second half.

Then, just after Dimitrios Salpingidis had mis-hit two good shooting chances in two minutes, Ruben De la Red almost broke the net to bring Spain level.

A long ball from Fabregas was knocked down by Daniel Guiza into the path of De la Red. The Real Madrid midfielder struck a vicious drive from eight yards that hit Nikopolidis' arm but still tore into the back of the net.

Greece, rather than Spain, found themselves in need of some urgency and Charisteas produced it, rounding Reina minutes after the Spanish equaliser and shooting from a tight angle, but only finding the outside of the post.

For all the effort Greece put in, the quality of Spain began to show and a second goal in the 88th minute ensured that they finished the group stage on a high.

A deep cross from Garcia found Guiza in enough space to place a header beyond Nikopolidis and high into the net, giving them the perfect boost before they face Italy in the quarter-finals.

Greece

Spain

Corners

15

Fouls

1618

Goal attempts

1018

Shots off target

612

Offsides

41

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