Group D latest: Russia v Sweden/Spain v Greece - Sport - Evening Standard
       

Group D latest: Russia v Sweden/Spain v Greece

89 GOAL - SPAIN: Guiza takes advantage of defensive slip to power a free header into the net.

88 Arshavin fails to take another great chance but it doesn't matter as they have all but booked their place in the last eight.

82 Pavlyuchenko has another great chance to seal victory but he miskicks eight yards out with the goal gaping.

79 Russia hit the woodwork again. Zyryanov's shot is deflected over Isaksson but comes off the post.

75 Sweden have been a huge disappointment. Ibrahimovic sums up their night when he smashes a free kick high and wide.

65 Greece go close. Charisteas breaks clear and rounds Reina but his shot hits the outside of the post.

Spain's Ruben de la Red shoots to score his side's first goal past Greece's Antonis Nikopolidis

Spain's Ruben de la Red shoots to score his side's first goal past Greece's Antonis Nikopolidis

61 GOAL - SPAIN: De La Red with a clean strike but Nikopolidis maybe could have made a better effort.

55 Sweden make a change with Kim Kallstrom replacing Daniel Andersson.

54 Spain hit the woodwork. Alonso unleashes a 35-yard drive past the despairing hand of Nikopolidis but it rebounds off the inside of the post.

Andrei Arshavin of Russia scores the second goal

Andrei Arshavin of Russia scores the second goal

50 GOAL - RUSSIA. A fabulous four-man move down the left and cool finish by the impressive Arshavin.

46 The second half kicks off.

45 HT - Russia 1 Sweden 0/Spain 0 Greece 1

42 GOAL - GREECE: Charisteas unchallenged meets a free kick with a powerful header past Reina.

Angelos Charisteas of Greece scores the opening goal

Angelos Charisteas of Greece scores the opening goal

40 A rare attack by Sweden and Akinfeyev makes a meal of dealing with an innocous cross.

34 Karagounis booked for a late challenge on Iniesta. That his sixth at a European Championship, a new record - and they have only been at two finals.

32 Russia hit the woodwork. Pavlyuchenko's neat chip rebounds off the bar and Bilyaletdinov's hearder is clawed away by keeper Isaksson.

26 Bilyaletdinov almost adds a second but he pokes his effort past the post.

Russia's Roman Pavlyuchenko scores past Sweden's goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson

Russia's Roman Pavlyuchenko scores past Sweden's goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson

24 GOAL - RUSSIA: A great break down the right and Anyukov slides the ball to Pavluchenko add the finishing touch.

23 Spain's Alonso tries an ambitious effort from just inside his own half which beats the keeper but goes just past the post.

18 Isaksson has to scrambel across his line to tip over a Arshavin  cross and then Zhirkov flashes a shot wide from the resulting corner.

15 Arshavin has another go from long distance but his shot fails to trouble the keeper.

12 Russia go close again.This time Arshavin flashes a header just past the post.

6 Russia have the first chance. Semshov, bursts into the box but finds his path to goal blocked by Zyryanov before Zhirkov has an effort blocked.

5 Spain have an earlt scare when De la Red fails to deal with a free kick and Traianos Dellas almost connects at the far post.

19.45 The matches kick off.

Russia v Sweden

Russia playmaker Andrei Arshavin will make his first appearance at Euro 2008 following a two-match suspension after coach Guus Hiddink named him in the side to face Sweden in their Group D decider on Wednesday.    

Hiddink had earlier hinted he might not start with Arshavin, saying he lacked match fitness, but has decided to play him slightly behind striker Roman Pavlyuchenko.

Arshavin was the only change to the team that beat Greece 1-0, with Dmitry Torbinsky making way for him.    

Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has been struggling with a knee injury, was named in an unchanged starting lineup from the one that lost 2-1 to Spain in their last match.    

Russia would qualify for the quarter-finals with a win, while Sweden would be through with a draw.    

Russia: 1-Igor Akinfeyev; 22-Alexander Anyukov, 8-Denis Kolodin, 4-Sergei Ignashevich, 18-Yuri Zhirkov; 11-Sergei Semak, 17-Konstantin Zyryanov, 20-Igor Semshov, 15-Diniyar Bilyaletdinov; 10-Andrei Arshavin, 19-Roman Pavlyuchenko    

Sweden: 1-Andreas Isaksson; 5-Fredrik Stoor, 3-Olof Mellberg, 4-Petter Hansson, 2-Mikael Nilsson; 11-Johan Elmander, 8-Anders Svensson, 19-Daniel Andersson, 9-Fredrik Ljungberg; 10-Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 17-Henrik Larsson    

Referee: Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium)

Spain v Greece

Spain rested almost their entire first-choice team ahead of the quarter-final showdown
with Italy and fielded a second string side against Greece in their last match in Group D on Wednesday.

Midfielder Andres Iniesta was the only usual starter included in the lineup because of doubts over the fitness of Santi Cazorla who was named on the bench.

Pepe Reina was given the goalkeeping spot ahead of Andres Palop, Cesc Fabregas starts in midfield, while Primera Liga top scorer Dani Guiza leads the attack.

Greece coach Otto Rehhagel reverted to his familiar 4-4-2 formation for their final game, with defenders Loukas Vintra and Nikos Spyropoulos coming in for the injured Vassilis Torosidis and Giourkas Seitaridis.

Striker Dimitris Salpigidis replaces Nikos Liberopoulos, while Yannis Amanatidis is moved back into midfield to join Giorgios Karagounis, who wins back his spot in the starting lineup in place of Christos Patsatzoglou.

Greece: 1-Antonis Nikopolidis; 11-Loukas Vintra, 16-Sotiris Kyrgiakos, 5-Traianos Dellas, 4-Nikos Spyropoulos; 6-Angelos Basinas, 21-Costas Katsouranis, 14-Dimitris Salpigidis, 10-Giorgios Karagounis, 20-Yannis Amanatidis; 9-Angelos Haristeas

Spain: 23-Pepe Reina; 18-Alvaro Arbeloa, 20-Juanito, 2-Raul Albiol, 3-Fernando Navarro; 14-Xabi Alonso; 22-Ruben de la Red, 10-Cesc Fabregas, 16-Sergio Garcia, 6-Andres Iniesta; 17-Daniel Guiza

Referee: Howard Webb (England)

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