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Euro 2008: Spain beat Germany in Euro final
 Fernando Torres celebrates after giving Spain the lead on 33 minutes. |
Spain claimed their first major football title in 44 years after beating Germany 1-0 in Sunday’s European Championship final in Vienna.
Fernando Torres scored the only goal of the game, sliding the ball past German keeper Jens Lehmann after 33 minutes as the Spaniards took a grip on the match which they never let slip.
Germany started the second half strongly as they went in search of an equalizer with German captain Michael Ballack firing a shot narrowly wide on 58 minutes.
But Spain had a series of chances to double their lead midway through the half as Sergio Ramos headed straight at Lehmann and Andres Iniesta forced two more saves in quick succession from the German keeper.
Marcos Senna also went close for Spain with nine minutes left, failing to connect with the ball at full stretch in front of an open goal after substitute Dani Guiza’s clever headed pass. Football fans had been gathering all day in the Austrian capital with around 70,000 watching the eagerly anticipated match on giant screens in the Fanzone area in the center of the city in addition to a 50,000 capacity crowd at the Ernst Happel Stadium. CNN’s Pedro Pinto said the mood in Vienna had been festive with rival supporters mingling peacefully amid tight security. “Singing, dancing and cheering, fans from Germany and Spain have created a party atmosphere which is a joy to watch,” said Pinto. “There is no hint of tension or violence as everyone just wants to enjoy the occasion.” Large crowds had also gathered in public squares in Berlin, Madrid and other German and Spanish cities to watch the match, which kicked off at 8.45 p.m. local time (1845 GMT). Germany had received a boost in the buildup to kickoff with news that captain and key midfielder Ballack was fit to start, having shaken off a calf injury that forced him to miss the squad’s final training session.
Spain were without key striker David Villa, the tournament’s top scorer with four goals, who injured a thigh muscle in Thursday’s semifinal win over Russia. Cesc Fabregas, one of the stars of the tournament, came into the side in his place in a reinforced midfield.
The three-week Euro 2008 tournament in Austria and Switzerland had already delivered plenty of drama, excitement and hugely entertaining football, raising hopes that the title showdown would serve up a suitably thrilling finale.
The match also offered an intriguing contest between two football-obsessed nations with contrasting records of success.
Germany were chasing a record fourth European Championship title to go with those they won in 1996, 1980 and 1972. With three World Cups to their name as well, the German national side have a reputation as pragmatic and perennial challengers for major honors, most recently reaching the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup.
The Spanish, by contrast, had long been considered the sport’s biggest underachievers. Home to two of the world’s greatest clubs in Real Madrid and Barcelona and one of Europe’s strongest leagues, it had been 24 years since Spain last reached a major final, losing to France in the 1984 European Championships.
The country’s sole previous international success came in the same competition as hosts in 1964 and the current squad’s run to the final had captured the nation’s imagination, CNN’s Madrid bureau chief Al Goodman said.
Spain went into the final as slight favorites. Unbeaten in 21 matches and the tournament’s most prolific team with 11 goals in five matches, coach Luis Aragones’ side beat world champions Italy on penalties in the quarterfinals and produced a performance of stylish swagger to overcome Russia 3-0 in the semis.
“This the best group of players I have seen in the past five tournaments and they deserve the title,” Spanish journalist Guillem Balague told CNN. Source: CNN
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