Euro 2008 Diary [day8]

Spain 2-1 Sweden

In major tournaments "Sweden tend to thrive, Spain to shrink" according to John Champion's opening gambit and he's almost proved right as Zlatan Ibrahimovic has a chance in the opening thirty seconds, but his touch lets him down. Spain though open the scoring fifteen minutes in, a well worked corner ends with David Silva's angled cross being volleyed home by Fernando Torres. The remainder of the half's chances are Swedish ones with Henrik Larsson and Johan Elmander both off target before Ibrahimovic scores the equaliser after half an hour, controlling Frederick Stoor's cross and turning his man to roll the ball past Iker Casillas.

In injury time Spain have a valid penalty appeal turned down as Ramos' cross hangs in the air and Silva is removed from his position underneath it by Elmander's clumsy challenge. The decision rallies Spain and they are more effective in attack after the break. Silva wastes an early chance as he tries to return David Villa's pass to him, despite being through on goal. On the hour Silva comes close again but Andreas Isaksson saves his low drive well and smothers Villa's attempt on the rebound before Daniel Andersson blocks Torres' follow-up. Holding midfielder Marcos Senna also tests Isaksson after a rare forward run.

Sweden have a chance to nick the game as Petter Hansson gets round the back of the Spanish defence from a late free-kick however he can only volley the ball tantalisingly across goal. Just as a draw seems inevitable Spain steal a win with the most un-Spanish of goals. A long ball down field eludes everyone and Villa gets the better of Hansson to finish and send Champion into an inevitable bout of hyperbole; "the most unconvincing of performances, the most convincing of finishes".

Greece 0-1 Russia

In Salzburg the holders have to win to keep themselves in the tournament, but they don't start well. Roman Pavlyuchenko cuts in from the left of the area and attempts to chip Antonios Nikopolidis, however the Greek keeper turns it over. Pavlyuchenko is involved in everything Russia produce and has a penalty shout for handball minutes later, but he has already been flagged offside. Greece's best chances comes the way of Angelos Charisteas but he fails to get his head on Angelos Basinas' free-kick and the ball deflects wide off Igor Semshov. As the Russian fans beat out a rhythm in the stands, Nikopolidis gives chase to a deep cross, however he's beaten to it by Sergei Semak who bicycle kicks it back across goal to give Konstantin Zyrianov a simple finish.

At half-time Andy Townsend and Sam Allardyce show a worrying lack of football knowledge and basic common-sense as they argue that Semak was offside, as like Christian Panucci in Italy's game with the Netherlands he was off the pitch. However, unlike Panucci, Semak is not defending... and has actually made the pass himself... playing the ball backwards. In the second half Jim Beglin agrees claiming "the law is an ass", although I can think of three primer examples. Out on the pitch Russia are in control; Pavlyuchenko balls a shot wide of the near post after breaking down the left and Zyrianov also blazes wide, while Diniyar Bilyaletdinov has a shot crucial blocked by Traianos Dellas.

Greece work their way back into the game but fail to threaten the Russian goal, Charisteas' downward header straight at goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev. Stelios Giannakopolous comes on to give another attacking option, but to do so has to operate the electronic substitute board himself. Greece find the net towards the end, but Theofanis Gekas has already been flagged offside. Russia could have already been out of sight could Pavlyuchenko finish, he blasts over again in injury time leading Beglin to sound like an exasperated teacher; "He's a talented boy but he drives me mad at times". It finishes 1-0 and in the words of Peter Drury "Greece is no longer the word".