- European Championship Finals
- 14 June 2012, 7:45pm
- PGE Arena
Spain | v | Rep of Ireland |
4
| 0 |
live commentary
FULL-TIME: IRELAND OUT!This superb Spanish side have knocked the Irish out with their magnificent passing and emphatic finishing. They are just too good. Giovanni's Trapattoni side will be eager to restore some pride which they can do in their final group game against the Azzurri. Thanks for joining Orange's live coverage. Stick around for the full-match report which follows shortly...
90+2 mins: Martinez tries to wriggle his way in on goal but the ball eventually trickles through to Given who has been a very busy keeper this evening.
90 mins: Three minutes until Ireland's fate is sealed. You would think Ireland have won the competition from the noise they are making. They are a credit to their country.
86 mins: Spain continue to pass the ball around and Ireland have given up the fight as they put hardly any pressure on their opponents
82 MINS: FABREGAS FIRECRACKER! What a finish from FABREGAS! Ireland switch off from a corner and from close to the right byline, the Barca midfield maestro smacks the ball in off the far post. Absolutely unstoppable!
79 mins: Both sides make more changes as Iniesta is replaced by Cazorla and Green replaces Whelan. No prizes for which country made which sub.
77 mins: Martinez is flashed a yellow card for a heavy challenge and there's huge roars from the Ireland crowd as McClean comes on for Duff. The boy from Derry has had an excellent season for Sunderland.
75 mins:All of a sudden, space opens up for Keane to get a shot away which has Casillas at full stretch. I thought that was sneaking into the bottom corner for a second there.
73 mins: The clinical Torres is heading off now to be replaced by someone called Fabregas.
70 MINS: BRACE FOR TORRES!Ireland will definitely be packing their bags now. The ball is given away yet again in midfield, allowing Silva to slide in TORRES who blasts the ball into the bottom right corner. Simples.
68 mins: Ward runs across to make a superb challenge on Torres who was about to bear down on goal. The former Liverpool striker is involved again seconds later but can't get on the end of Alba's cross.
66 mins: Javi Martinez is coming on for Spain and replaces Xabi Alonso. Moments before, Andrews had the ball down the left of the area but instead of shooting he passes straight to a red shirt.
63 mins: A fancy flick from Torres is deflected in the area. The ball trickles to Busquets who thrashes one inches wide of the left post. That should've been 3-0.
60 mins: Spain's passing even had me in a trance there, momentarily forgetting I was commentating on the game. McGeady does manage to swing a cross in for the Irish but Casillas catches with ease.
57 mins: Spain are nearly in again as Torres arches his run to get on the end of Iniesta's slipped pass. The assistant's flag comes to Ireland's rescue becauses 'El Nino' strayed just offside.
54 mins: Alonso is shown yellow for a mistimed tackle. Spain soon win the ball back though and Given makes a quality save to stop Xavi's rocket from crashing into the back of the net.
50 mins: Chance for Ireland with a set-piece in a central position. It's set-up for Duff to prop the ball into area where it's easily cleared away.
Ian, Dublin -"We're gunna win 3-2!"
48 MINS: SILVA MAKES IT TWO! Ireland continue to give the ball away and they have been punished not long after the restart. Given punches a shot from Torres straight into the path of SILVA who nonchalantly strokes the ball home.
45 mins: Welcome back for second half. Ireland, who have 45 minutes to save their campaign, bring on Walters for the unfortunate Cox. The silky Spaniards kick-off.
Jeepster - "Shud be an easy win for spain, at least 4 .0 will be like a warm up game 4 spain."
HALF-TIME: Given tips over a thunderbolt of a shot from Iniesta and thankfully there's no time for the corner as the ref blows for half-time. Spain have bamboozled Ireland ever since the first minute and are in complete control of this clash. Ireland need a miracle to keep their Euro 2012 campaign alive. Can they do it? Join me in fifteen minutes to find out.
44 mins: Ireland are hanging on in there. Arbeloa, Xavi and Xabi Alonso all have efforts within 45 seconds. This is absolutely relentess from Spain
42 mins: Torres' hopeful cross from the left is plucked out of the air by Given, who is forced into action moments later after Xavi cracks one straight at him.
39 mins: Iniesta plays a delicious through ball to Torres down the left hand side. With Given off his line, the Chelsea striker could have had a shot himself but instead chooses to switch the ball to the opposite. The chance then disappears as Ireland get back in numbers.
36 mins: Captain Keane is shown yellow for a late tackle by the ref who should be in the book himself. Xavi drills the ball into the box but it fails to beat the first man.
34 mins: That would have been really harsh on Ireland if Spain had scored again here. The ref shows great strength in barging Andrews off the ball to gift the Spaniards possession. Thankfully Ireland manage to clear.
30 mins: Some very neat exchanges around the area results in Torres barging his way through on goal. He fires off a right-footed curler but fouls Duff in the process. A slight reprieve for the Irish.
27 mins: Ireland work their way down the left flank but Duff's dipping cross in is easily dealt with by the Spain 'defence'.
Ian, Dublin -"Double Figures! No chance! If we weather the storm we can make a comeback! Believe!!"
24 mins: Spain continue to harass their oppenents with a couple of quick-fire corners, the latter of which is headed marginally wide by the unmarked Pique.
Josh, Hull -"3-1 spain"
21 mins: You know Spain are comfortable when Pique has taken it upon himself to roam from his position. This time he is over on the left flank, where he dribbles past McGeady before playing in a rather feeble cross.
18 mins: Ireland battle valiantly out of the defence and Duff races forward before launching the ball upfield towards Keane. It skips right through to Casillas though on this occasion.
16 mins: Pique pops up from centre-half to have a dig at goal however it's straight into the chest of Given.
13 mins: Spain hynotize Ireland with pass after pass after pass. Xavi is eventually threaded through but is surrounded by green shirts and fails to get a shot away.
10 mins: Ireland venture forward with Andrews who sees his shot from range deflected wide of goal. From the resulting corner, Dunne gets his head to it but it doesn't trouble Casillas.
7 mins: Oh and it should be 2-0! Torres, level with the right post, meets Arbeloa's headed cross but it flashes wide. Double figures anyone?
4 MINS: SPAIN TAKE THE LEAD! Strap yourself in Ireland fans. This is going to be a long night. Dunne blocks Silva's path but takes about a year to get up back onto his feet. When he does, TORRES has already made his way round the last defender and blasts the ball beyond Given from close range.
2 mins: Ireland begin with no fear as Cox cracks a low drive which would have crept inside the left post had Casillas not scampered over.
Mo, Norwich -"As much as I love an upset, I just cannot see the Irish getting anything in this match!"
0 mins: Peep! 14/1 shots Ireland get the game started and will play from the left to right in this first half. The current european and world champions Spain are in their familiar red home shirts.
1942:Both sides are on the field and line-up for the national anthems. The Irish fans are in fine voice one again. They won't be any beer left after tonight if they win here!
1900:Hello and welcome along to Orange's live commentary on Spain's clash with the Republic of Ireland in Gdansk. Kick-off is at 19.45.
A defeat for the Irish will see them become the first team to be knocked out of the Euro 2012.
Simon Cox gets the nod to partner Robbie Keane up front and Richard Dunne is ok to play after sitting out training on Tuesday with blistered feet.
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque ditches the controversial 4-6-0 formaton, with Cesc Fabregas making way for Fernando Torres.
Will Ireland pull off a shock victory to keep their slim Euro 2012 hopes alive? Orange's Mark Scott will be bringing you live updates, so let him know your predictions via the box above.
- European Championship Finals
- 14 June 2012, 7:45pm
- PGE Arena
| Spain | v | Rep of Ireland |
4
| 0 |
match report
Fernando Torres grabbed a brilliant brace as Spain ruthlessly routed the Republic of Ireland 4-0 to go top of Euro 2012 Group C in Gdansk.
The 28-year-old Chelsea striker, left out of the starting line-up for the Group C opener against Italy, returned with a vengeance to spearhead an impressive display by the Spaniards, who ensured Ireland will just be playing for pride against Italy as they cannot qualify from the group stage.
Torres fired them ahead after just four minutes and then, after David Silva had mesmerised the Irish defence to make it 2-0 four minutes after the restart, helped himself to a second to complete a good night's work.
It proved a chastening experience for the Republic, who conceded a fourth late on when substitute Cesc Fabregas collected his second goal of the tournament, as their worst fears were realised.
Spain will head into Monday night's showdown with Croatia with top spot in the group at stake, while Giovanni Trapattoni's men will have only pride to play for when they face Italy, who need to win to progress, in Poznan.
Ireland had gone four games unbeaten before they arrived in Poland, but have tasted comprehensive defeat in both the fixtures they have played in their first trip to major finals in a decade.
The sound of Europe's The Final Countdown thundering from the stadium's PA system 15 minutes before kick-off seemed prophetic at the time, and as Portuguese referee Pedro Proenca brought an end to the opening 45 minutes, the Republic's hopes of extending their stay in Poland and Ukraine were hanging by a thread.
They ran out knowing they needed to avoid defeat to have any chance of reaching the last eight, and that an unlikely win would give them a real chance with Italy and Croatia having drawn earlier.
However, just as they had done against the Croatians in Poznan on Sunday evening, Trapattoni's men found themselves behind barely before they had broken sweat, and the source of the damage was entirely predictable.
Spain boss Vicente Del Bosque had outraged his critics by lining up against the Italians without a recognised striker.
Trapattoni had predicted he would not do the same tonight and would restore Torres to the starting line-up, and the Chelsea frontman needed just four minutes to make his mark.
Silva's fleet-footed burst into the penalty area prompted Richard Dunne to make a desperate and successful sliding challenge, but the ball dropped nicely for Torres to round full-back Stephen Ward and smash a right-foot shot from a tight angle high past goalkeeper Shay Given and into the roof of the net.
It was the last thing Ireland needed, although it came after Simon Cox, preferred to Kevin Doyle in a 4-5-1 formation, had tested Iker Casillas with a second-minute drive from distance.
But Irish forays into enemy territory were to prove a rare occurrence as Spain, not unsurprisingly, dominated the middle of the field to lay siege to Given's goal.
The Aston Villa keeper was peppered from distance as Sergio Busquets, Xabi Alonso and Xavi laid the foundation for Silva, Andres Iniesta and Torres to go about their business.
Given, who had already got down well to claim an effort from Silva, had to beat away a piledriver from Iniesta and in a flurry as the half-time whistle approached, blocked full-back Alvaro Arbeloa's skidding attempt with his legs and tipped another stinging strike from Iniesta over his bar.
By contrast, Robbie Keane, who had worked tirelessly in an attempt to give his side an out-ball, was starved of meaningful possession and found himself chasing a series of lost causes.
Whether Trapattoni felt his decision to use Cox had worked or not, he abandoned the experiment at the break to send on the more physical Jon Walters.
But the game was effectively over within four costly minutes as Spain once again flexed their muscles at the start of the second half.
Given had already repelled another effort from Arbeloa - he and fellow full-back Jordi Alba were effectively playing as wingers - when the keeper's attempt to keep out Iniesta's powerfully-struck shot dropped to the feet of Silva.
The Manchester City midfielder still had plenty to do, but he tip-toed his way through the wreckage of the Irish defence before slotting the ball calmly into the bottom corner.
Given produced a stunning one-handed save to deny Xavi with 55 minutes gone, but would have been picking the ball out of his net once again seven minutes later had Busquets managed to bend his shot only marginally more.
But further damage was inflicted with 20 minutes remaining when Torres once again ran clear of a static defence to fire expertly past Given and finally kill off hopes of a fightback.
Torres departed to rapturous applause from his compatriots with 18 minutes remaining as Fabregas took his place with Spain already looking towards Monday night.
There was an equally warm welcome for James McClean when he was handed a second cap and a first competitive appearance as 76th-minute substitute, but Ireland's woes increased seven minutes from time when Fabregas blasted home a fourth as Trapattoni's men slept at a corner.
advertisement
