Croatia 0 Spain 1: Navas
Spain are through to the last eight, where they may yet meet England in Donetsk on Saturday night, but this was not one of those Spanish nights that make every other football team simultaneously quake and purr.
This provoked other noises, mainly the sound of grinding teeth. Vicente Del Bosque’s molars must have taken a pounding. The Spain manager said afterwards his players had lacked their customary ‘clarity and control’. This, he indicated, may have been because of the fears of fatigue that some have had for these Spanish players.
‘It was a very difficult victory. We suffered, but they did too,’ Del Bosque added. ‘We did not have much strength to go forward. We didn’t have the clarity and control we usually have, therefore we lost our intensity. Also the opponents were very good.’ On the subject of weariness, Del Bosque said: ‘It is difficult to maintain the same level all the time.’
He can't miss... can he? Spain midfielder Jesus Navas is presented with an empty net
No mistake: Navas blasts the ball into Croatia's unguarded goal to settle the game
MATCH FACTS
Croatia: Pletikosa, Vida (Jelavic 66), Corluka, Schildenfeld, Strinic, Vukojevic (Eduardo 81), Rakitic, Srna, Modric, Pranjic (Perisic 66), Mandzukic.
Subs not used: Kelava, Simunic, Buljat, Badelj, Vrsaljko, Dujmovic, Kalinic, Kranjcar, Subasic.
Goal: Navas 87.
Booked: Strinic, Srna, Corluka.
Spain: Casillas, Arbeloa, Pique, Sergio Ramos, Jordi Alba, Xavi (Negredo 89), Busquets, Alonso, Silva (Fabregas 73), Torres (Navas 60), Iniesta.
Subs not used: Valdes, Albiol, Javi Martinez, Juanfran, Pedro, Mata, Llorente, Cazorla, Reina.
Referee: Wolfgang Stark (Germany)
This will lead to a re-assessment of expectations about the tournament favourites, though Spain have one day longer to recover than their opponents in the quarter-final. And they did win.
Spain finally scored against a resilient and enterprising Croatia but not until the 88th minute and with a goal that contained hints of both offside and handball.
It is always handy to have someone called Jesus on the bench and when Del Bosque considered that this was not going to be another goalscoring occasion for Fernando Torres, Sevilla’s Jesus Navas entered the fray.
Torres was one of a number of Spain players who could have been removed and Cesc Fabregas then replaced David Silva. With time disappearing and Spain still vulnerable to a Croat counter — a goal then could have sent Spain home with Holland — Fabregas found Andres Iniesta behind the Croatian back four.
Relief: Navas (centre left) is congratulated by Andres Iniesta (centre) and Cesc Fabregas
Golden chance: Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas (centre) saves from Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic (left)
On many such moves, the linesman’s flag goes up and the whistle blows. But not now. Iniesta controlled the ball with his shoulder or upper arm — but again there was no whistle. He squared the ball to Navas and, with Stipe Pletikosa helpless, Navas belted the ball in.
UEFA were probably relieved. Otherwise they would have had to explain their byzantine rules, but as it is Spain win Group C and Italy are runners-up. Croatia are out and manager Slaven Bilic has picked his national team for the last time. The manager, who chose not to lambast the German referee Wolfgang Stark, can be proud of his players. Luka Modric stood out — ‘a hero’ Bilic called him. So did Mario Mandzukic, and it is a mark of how Croatia played that Iker Casillas was Spain’s most prominent performer for once. Casillas is his country’s captain but tends to be overlooked due to the tapestry that frequently is unfolded in front of him.
Tight angle: Fernando Torres (right) shoots under pressure from Danijel Pranjic (left) and Domagoj Vida
SCrap: Spain defender Sergio Ramos (left) gets to grips with with Croatia playmaker Luka Modric
Not last night. Spain pieced together a patchwork performance and were grateful that their normally under-worked captain was sharp. Casillas made the decisive save in the 59th minute to thwart Ivan Rakitic but the build-up to the chance will offer hope to those, England or not, who meet Spain next.
No team can lose Carles Puyol and not feel the effect, even Spain. Sergio Ramos has become Gerard Pique’s partner when he usually plays at full back for Real Madrid. In the first half Ramos was lucky to get away with one reckless lunge on Mandzukic on the edge of the Spain box and it was a combination of his rashness and Modric’s footwork that created the opportunity for Rakitic.
Touch of glamour: Columbian singer Shakira (centre) was at the match to watch boyfriend Gerard Pique
Italy 2 Republic of Ireland 0: Cassano and Balotelli send Azzurri into last eight
fired Italy into the quarter-finals of Euro 2012 after a tense victory over the Republic of Ireland.
The AC Milan striker headed home from Andrea Pirlo's 35th-minute corner before substitute Balotelli added a second at the death to finally kill off Ireland's brave resistance.
Through: Italy celebrate Cassano's first-half strike
MATCH FACTS
Italy: Buffon, Abate, Barzagli, Chiellini (Bonucci 57), Balzaretti, Pirlo, Marchisio, Thiago Motta, De Rossi, Di Natale (Balotelli 74), Cassano (Diamanti 62).
Subs not used: Sirigu, Maggio, Ogbonna, Giaccherni, Borini, Montolivo, Giovinco, Nocerino, De Sanctis.
Booked: De Rossi, Buffon, Balzaretti.
Goals: Cassano 36, Balotelli 90.
Rep of Ireland: Given, O'Shea, Dunne, St. Ledger, Ward, McGeady (Long 65), Whelan, Andrews, Duff, Keane (Cox 86), Doyle (Walters 76).
Subs not used: Westwood, Kelly, McShane, Gibson, Hunt, O'Dea, Green, McClean, Forde.
Booked: Andrews, St Ledger, O'Shea. Sent off:Andrews.
Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey)
Spain's 1-0 win over Croatia in Gdansk meant the reigning champions topped Group C, but Italy went through in second place.
On a night when only victory would do for Cesare Prandelli's men, they came up with the goods against an Ireland side whose exit from the competition was confirmed last week.
But while Italy dominated for long periods, they were unable to find a way past the green shirts for a second time to leave the Republic, led by winger Damien Duff on his 100th appearance for his country, in with a chance until Balotelli eventually calmed the nerves.
Giovanni Trapattoni's side, who had midfielder Keith Andrews sent off late on, staged a late blitz on the Italian goal which came up only just short, and although they restored some of their battered pride, they will return to Dublin tomorrow having failed to collect a single point.
Duff and his team-mates ran out wearing black armbands to mark the 18th anniversary of the shootings of six men in Loughinisland, County Down, as the victims watched the national team play Italy at the 1994 World Cup finals in the United States.
Doing the Poznan: Ireland fans continue to enjoy themselves despite the scoreline
They might have taken the lead straight from the kick-off when Kevin Doyle ran on to Pirlo's careless pass, but defender Giorgio Chiellini dispossessed him before he could shoot.
Ireland safely negotiated the opening five minutes which had previously proved so problematical in the tournament, but as the deep-sitting Pirlo started to pull the strings, found themselves having to defend for dear life.
Curler: Daniele de Rossi has a shot on goal
But where that had been beyond them in their opening two games, this time they found the resilience and organisation which had brought them to the finals.
The two sides traded blows in their own particular fashions, the Italians stylish and patient, the Irish more direct and abrasive, but with neither goalkeeper being called upon at all.
Battle: Glenn Whelan and Alessandro Diamanti vie for possession
Richard Dunne and Sean St Ledger both had to get in good blocks to prevent Antonio Di Natale from troubling Shay Given, and the Leicester defender had to be on his toes to dispossess the same man as he threatened to carve his way into the penalty area once again.
But with 10 minutes of the first half remaining, Italy started to turn the screw.
Winner: Cassano beats Keith Andrews to Pirlo's corner
Glenn Whelan's misplaced pass allowed Cassano to pick out Di Natale and when he rounded Given on the right side of the penalty area and shot from a tight angle, St Ledger once again came to the rescue on the line.
But the reprieve was only temporary and after Given had conceded a corner by spilling Cassano's snapshot, Prandelli's men edged ahead.
Given had to repel another Di Natale effort at his near post with 55 minutes gone, but Andrews tested Gianluigi Buffon from distance for the first time on the hour.
Sensing that their time had come, the Republic launched a sustained assault on the Italian goal, prompting Prandelli to introduce wild card striker Balotelli with 15 minutes left on the clock.
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