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In their changed strip, French coach Laurent Blanc hoped it would be ‘all white on the night’, yet even a more defence-minded formation was unable to answer all the questions asked of it by a below-par Spanish outfit.
Starting again without a recognised striker, Spain were indebted to Xabi Alonso, making his 100th international appearance, for both their goals, although coach Del Bosque will be equally pleased with their 11th clean sheet in their last 14 appearances at a major tournament.
France had opted to start with two right backs in an attempt to curtail the Spanish attacking threat down the left although this left them bereft of ideas up front, managing only a single shot on target throughout the match.
The Spanish danced around the static French in Donetsk without really appearing to hit top form, easily dispatching opponents who lacked invention and intensity on the pitch, seemingly saving their energy for the post-match verbal sparring with the journalists.
Spain will face their neighbours, Portugal, tonight in a match-up between two sides whose individuals know each other well, with many of the players drawn from two rival club sides, Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Portugal reached this stage with a dominant, yet ultimately, narrow victory over the Czech Republic.
Attention will undoubtedly turn to Cristiano Ronaldo whose performances in the last two games have gone some way to appease the critics who believe he fails to excel in the high-pressure cauldron. This is the ultimate test.
Shrugging off a poor opening performance Ronaldo is finally showing the form and intent that have him claiming to be the world’s best player. His three goals in the last two games also accompany a remarkable statistic that he has also hit the woodwork four times in the same matches.
Having played first, Portugal have the advantage of additional rest although with the time lapsed between the games I do not expect this to be as relevant as it will be for Italy who face Germany.
The hotel to which they returned in Gdańsk may have had their electricity cut but the Germans were not short on power as they demolished the Greeks with a second-string forward line in a one-sided quarter-final.
The man-of-the-match award went to the 23-year-old emblem of the German youth policy, Mesut Ozil, who, as is often the case with creative genius, divides opinion in the stands as easily as he does defences on the pitch.
He lacks the drive and power demanded by many Germans who grew worshipping the surging runs of Lothar Matthaus. However, Ozil’s vision and talent ensured that two of the three replacements, Klose and Reus, scored against the back-tracking Greeks.
Indeed these two forwards represent the catalyst for German change. Klose, born in Poland, is the last of the old generation, scoring his 64th international goal and 17th in a major tournament. The 22-year-old Reus was particularly impressive down the right, demonstrating why German champions, Borussia Dortmund, have chosen to sign him for £15 million (BD8.75 million).
Germany will meet a familiar foe in Italy who, while poor against England, were still the better team, thoroughly deserving the victory, although not the nail-biting finish.
The exception was the outstanding Andre Pirlo who demonstrated why he made more successful passes in Europe this season than any other player. However, it is not just the number of passes, it is the quality he produces, turning defenders with the use of acute angles in even the tightest-packed penalty area.
Time and again he found Balotelli and Cassano who timed their runs behind the sluggish English centre-backs with a perfection their shooting lacked. He also dismissed pre-match suggestions that he lacked fitness by covering more ground than any English player.
England’s strategy relied on robbing the Italians in full flow and breaking with speed and precision, which they largely accomplished, although their own shooting belied their ranking as the most efficient marksmen in the group stages.
England’s familiar psychological barriers at a major tournament – penalties and any team that can play – again ensured they failed to progress past the quarter-finals at any tournament since 1996.
With Chelsea’s penalty victory against Bayern in the Champions League, with many of the same players present, English fans had hoped this ghost had been laid to rest. However, defeat in such a cruel, yet thoroughly deserved, manner, means England has now won only one of its last eight shoot-outs.
With the quarter-finals largely going with the form-book, I still believe that the tournament still has one more surprise left in it. I find it hard to believe that Germany will allow Pirlo to dominate in the same way that he did against England, while I also expect them to be far more clinical in front of goal.
Against England the Italians created a number of clear-cut chances but were wayward with their shooting. However, they also gave away a lot of possession allowing England to break at speed, although they frequently lacked options in attack. The Germans are adept at counter-attacking and, with a more solid defence and better variations in midfield, I expect them to score at least two goals.
The Germans also have a strong bench and have rotated their squad meaning fresher legs to carry them through extra-time, although I doubt that will be required. I expect the Germans to win by two goals despite facing the meanest defence in the competition.
If there is to therefore be a surprise it will have to come in the first semi-final between Portugal and Spain. For me, despite all their possession and pretty passing, Spain has looked lacklustre and, with coach Del Bosque unwilling to play an out-and-out centre forward, lacking incision. While they have tightened their defence they will be up against a Portuguese side that seems to be growing in confidence and togetherness with every match.
It will be intriguing to see the battle between Portugal’s two tricky wide-men, Ronaldo and Nani, both of whom excel going forward although neither are renowned for their ability to track back and help with the team’s defensive duties.
They will be up against Spain’s roving full-backs, the revelation Jordi Alba and Alvaro Arbeloa, both of whom also like to get forward which can occasionally leave the remaining defence exposed. Adopting a more defensive role would also deprive the much-vaunted midfield of additional support. Who will impose their game on the other?
Ironically, Portugal will be without their centre-forward, Helder Postiga, who will be replaced by Hugo Almeida. While hardly prolific, Almeida is more physical and will provide a better focal point and outlet for the attack and bring, I believe, a better structure.
This game will be so tight and tactical that it could be decided by who scores first. However, I’m backing Portugal to proceed to, and be beaten by, the Germans in the final! However, as just two of the last six winners of the European Championship have finished top of their group, perhaps we can rely on the Italians to bring the ultimate surprise.
