Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 Semifinals prosiness finally got the better of our reporter and he admitted he fell asleep in the dying minutes of Spain Portugal score – less regular minute. Spain got the ticket with 4-2 win on penalties vs Portugal.

Euro 2012 Semifinals, Donetsk, Ukraine / NationalTurk Sports – Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 Semifinal saw at the end Spain heading to the Euro 2012 final in Kiev, Ukraine. Yes it is a major feat by Spain to be able to win three consecutive football championship trophies in major finals, and yes the heat will be on Portugal coach Paulo Bento after this Spain Portugal match as Portugal was eliminated after a penalty shootout where Ronaldo did not shoot a penalty. LOL !! But the fact is Spain plays the most boring football of all 3 tournaments and topped their boring performances here in Euro 2012 at Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 match.

Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 Semifinal match was a dud, pure boreness although Portugal looked good in the opening minutes of the Spain Portugal game. But Spain changed tactics and stopped Portugal with anti-football. Of course the credit will go to the Spanish side that managed to advance to Euro 2012 finals but the way Spain has done that will leave a bad taste in the mouths of every football fan, well may be with the exception of Spanish fans. But we doubt that every Spanish fan is overjoyed with their team’s performance in this Euro 2012 tournament.

Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 : Spain plays like Barcelona..almost..

Spain adopts the playing style of Barcelona. Since 2008 European Championship they play possesion football with amazing passing qualities which choke the opponent. Spain plays systematic passing almost to a perfection, plenty of players passing the ball and the opponent loses its concentration and lust for the game game, this also helps hindering the attack of the opponent by keeping the possesion which is also a supreme defensive strategy. But in Euro 2012 Spain’s true colors have been shown, as Spain is no Barcelona or more accuratly they have no Messi, who converts the passing game into scoring for the Catalans. Spain is solid at the defense, as it was re-proved in Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 Semifinal match, and Spanish players are well aware of it.

Spain Portugal Scoreless Boredom Euro 2012 : Portugal was good but their shortcomings in offense despite Ronaldo cost them dearly

Portugal deserves plenty of credit for their performance in Spain Portugal match last night. No team in this Euro 2012 tournament, or recent memory starting from 2008 Euro’s has thrown Spain so far out of its comfort zone and showed them their passing midfield is stoppable. Portugal stuck to a solid plan to pressure every pass Spain does or even intends to do. Portugal did it so beautifully in the first half of Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 match. Unfortunately, Portugal fell victim to their own shortcomings which were revealed on the counterattacks chances they have found vs Spain. There was simply no support or build-up for lightning fast stars Ronaldo and Nani. Ronaldo and Nani showed Spain’s defense that they are by far superior players but it comes to the same story that tells us that Spain is a solid team ( ok they are boring as hell but they are also a hardworking and organized team ) Instead, Portugal’s midfield made many bad passes particularly in the second half and Portugal striker Hugo Almeida tried to show the world he is in the same quality caliber as Ronaldo or Nani. How bad he erred ! Portugal turned the ball over too much, Spain’s much- praised midfield players returned the favour which eventually turned the Portugal vs Spain game into a dull stalemate.

Unlike England and Italy, this Spain Portugal Euro 2012 game did not have a dominant side. Only during extra time, Spain started to take control over Portugal, but either team could have scored and made a good case to be in the finals of Euro 2012. In the end, both defenses held the line, and both offenses failed to dazzle. The Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 game thus was settled at the penalty spot by Casillas, the woodwork and a fatal error by Portugal coach Bento’s list for penalty kickers. Spain continues its unbeaten run in major football tournaments and will battle either with Germany or Italy this weekend at the Euro 2012 Finals in Kiev.

Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 : The game as it happened, tactical review

Spanish manager Vicente del Bosque started the Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 match with a gamble as he has chosen Alvaro Negredo to lead Spain’s attack, letting both Cesc Fabregas and Fernando Torres sit next to him in the Spanish bench. Negredo has played for Sapin in the entire Euro 2012 tournament only five minutes so far in a group win over Croatia. Alvaro Negredo’ surprise start for Spain, winning a spot over the Spain’s other two strikers Torres and Cesc Fabregas who played as makeshift center forward in a no-striker formation for the Spaniards seemed curious. Negredo did very little to silence his doubters with a very mediocre performance in Spain Portugal game, bordering on poor. Vicente del Bosque allowed Negredo to continue despite his poor first half performance, but it became obvious early in the second half that he wasn’t going to make a positive impact on the Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 semifinals game for Spain. He was substituted out very early, with Vicente del Bosque taking him out for Cesc Fabregas in the 54th minute in a switch to the 6 man midfield formation he was expected to start with in Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 clash.

On the other hand Hugo Almeida started for Portugal in place of the injured Helder Postiga, and was arguably even less effective than Negredo in Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 match. Even though Portugal coach Bento had a good young option in Nelson Oliveira on his bench, he waited much longer to make a change. Hugo Almeida wasted a chance with a horrific shot in the 57th minute, the first of three abysmal shots that went well off target before he was finally substituted for Oliveira in the 81st minute.

Portugal manager Bento got his tactics spot on for Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 match, with his team doing brilliantly to hold Spain to a 0-0 draw after 120 minutes, but he didn’t have Cristiano Ronaldo take one of his team’s first four penalties. With Spain taking first and his team missing twice, he never got a chance to take one as La Roja went through 4-2 on penalty kicks Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 match.

After Portugal started Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 match better and found first chance in 9th minute there was a long gap between goal chances until Spain’s Andres Iniesta was set up for one in the 29th minute. The ball was worked around the edge of the box following a long ball over the top of the Portugal defense, eventually finding the feet of Iniesta on the left side of the area. He came inside and found a space to take a right-footed shot, but missed high over Portugal crossbar. Two minutes later, Cristiano Ronaldo created a decent opportunity for himself, but missed his shot from 20 yards just wide of the near post. That would be the last clear chance of the first half in Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 match

Spain would make their second substitution in the 61st minute, bringing on Jesus Navas for David Silva. Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 match was poor for Silva, who has had an excellent Euro 2012 tournament to this point, and this change turned out to be a very positive one for del Bosque. Navas’s pace and direct running caused problems for Portugal throughout the rest of the second half of Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 match and extra time. Spain made their final sub just before the end of normal time, with Pedro replacing Xavi Hernandez, a switch that moved Andres Iniesta inside.

Spain Portugal Euro 2012 game is like a tasteless and boring English beefcake

Ultimately, there wouldn’t be too many chances in the second half. Spain struggled to create them throughout the half even though Fabregas and Navas were upgrades over the men they replaced. Portugal’s defense and midfield played well, and they created one of the best chances of the game in the 90th minute. The Portuguese defense cleared well on a Spain corner kick and broke out quickly, creating a three-on-three counter attack. Raul Meireles had a chance to play Ronaldo in one-on-one with Casillas, but placed his pass just behind his captain. Ronaldo recovered well to create a shooting chance, but hit a horrible right-footed shot well wide of the target. With no goals through 90 minutes, the sides headed for extra time.

Extra Time  of Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 match : Our reporter fell asleep we gathered info from opther sources !

The first 10 minutes of extra time were very uneventful, but things began to get fun right at the end of the first extra time period. In the 101st minute, Navas blasted a shot high when it looked like he was going to hit the target from inside the area. Two minutes later, Jordi Alba set up Iniesta for a close-range shot, but Rui Patricio made an absolutely spectacular reaction save, then recovered to gather the ball two seconds later. Just before the end of the period, Sergio Ramos hit an excellent free kick just inches wide.

Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 Penalty Shootout Video: Watch Fabregas shoot Spain into the Euro 2012 Finals

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In the 113th minute, Portugal made a risky substitution and it almost backfired. Paulo Bento brought on pacy winger Silvestre Varela for fighting midfielder Meireles who was tired in an attempt to go for the win the Spain Portugal game , but that created a Portuguese midfield that was extremely wide open, leading to first and only Spain’s domination of the final seven minutes of extra time. Spain created something immediately, taking advantage of the space in midfield with a Pedro breakaway. The Portugal defense recovered brilliantly, however, and Fabio Coentrao made an excellent clearance. Spain were well on top until the end of Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 match, with the final minutes of extra time being played entirely in the Portugal penalty area, but their defense held on for penalties in Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 match.

Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 penalty shootout started with a magnificent save by keeper Patricio on Xabi Alonso, but he was instantly matched by his experienced counterpart. Iker Casillas kept the shootout level by making a save of his own on Joao Moutinho. The next three penalties were made without incident to put Spain up 2-1 when Alves walked up to the penalty spot.

Many will point to the following penalty by Spain as the turning point in the penalty  shootout, but it very well could have been this as well. Alves apparently broke the order set by his manager, and Nani was forced to run up and tell his teammate that it was actually his turn to take a spot kick. Alves walked back to the halfway line and Nani buried a brilliant penalty to make it 2-2.

Sergio Ramos was next up and hit a brilliant chipped penalty, a la Andrea Pirlo, past Portuguese keeperto make it 3-2. That brought Alves up to the spot. Whether he was rattled by Nani making him wait, by Ramos’s chip or by nothing at all, it is unclear. Alves missed his spot kick, rattling the crossbar.

Fabregas sends Ronaldo to Maldives for holiday

That brought up Cesc Fabregas, who sealed the victory for Spain vs Portugal. Depending on how one looks at it, it was either the perfect penalty or a lucky miss for Fabregas, whose shot hit the inside of the post and snuck into the back of the net to give Spain the 4-2 win at Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 match. Incredibly, Spain were allowed to win a shootout without Ronaldo ever attempting a penalty.

Spain’s Euro 2012 shootout win over Portugal on Wednesday drew the country’s highest ever television audience, with an average of more than 18 million watching the Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 drama in Ukraine’s Donetsk.

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