Euro 2012: Spain beat Portugal 4-2 on penalties, reach final

Donetsk, June 28 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Spain reached their third-successive European championship final Thursday, beating a defiant Portugal 4-2 on penalties after their Euro 2012 semifinal ended goalless after extra time.

Cesc Fabregas scored the winning penalty to send Spain through after Portugal's Bruno Alves hit the crossbar.

Sunday's final in Kiev will be against Germany or Italy, who play in Warsaw Thursday.

Spain began their second title defence with a cagey 1-1 draw against Italy before crushing Ireland 4-0 and surviving a couple of scares to overcome Croatia 1-0.

Two goals from Xabi Alonso brought a 2-0 victory over France in the quarterfinal.

Portugal started their campaign with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Germany in Group B, but scraped through as runners-up, thanks to equally closely fought victories over Denmark, 3-2, and the Netherlands 2-1.

Ronaldo's 79th-minute header gave the 2004 finalists a 1-0 win over the Czech Republic in the quarterfinal.

--IANS/RIA Novosti

pm

null