GROUP D LIVE: Spain v Russia - All the action as it happened in Innsbruck - Sport - Evening Standard
       

GROUP D LIVE: Spain v Russia - All the action as it happened in Innsbruck

Spain 4 Russia 1

6.50: Full-time 4-1

6.47 GOAL: Sergei Semak wastes a great chance for Russia and Spain go on the counter. Villa plays a clever chip for Xavi and when his effort his saved by Akinfeev, Fabregas is on hand to nod home the rebound.

6.43 GOAL: Consolation for Russia as Roman Pavluchenko meets Shirokov 's flick from a corner and powers a header high past Casillas.  

6.34: Liverpool's Spanish star Xabi Alonso is on for Silva

6.32 GOAL: Villa nets the first hat-trick of the competition with his best goal of the night. Fabregas finds the the striker with a superb diagonal ball but Villa still has to hold off Roman Shirokov, cut inside and drill the ball low into the net.

6.27: Hiddink goes for an on-and-offski with Bystrov, who only came on at the break, making way for Roman Adamov.

6.24: Akinfeev is kept busy, punching away Marcos Senna's header from a corner before holding David Silva 's volley.  

6.22: Fabregas is desperate to make his mark but he just loses out in a race to the ball with Russia keeper Akinfeev.

6.20: Aragones makes another change with Gonzalez Santi Cazorla getting the last 25 minutes in place of Iniesta.

6.16: Diniyar Bilyaletdinov tries his luck from distance with a low effort that skids towards goal but relieved Spain keeper Iker Casillas watches the ball drift just wide.

Role reversal: Torres fails to see the positives in making way for Fabregas

Role reversal: Torres fails to see the positives in making way for Fabregas

6.10: Russia have started the second half in determined fashion and Spain coach Luis Aragones decides to make his first change with Cesc Fabregas coming on for Torres. Hiddink takes off Semshov and giving Dmitri Torbinsky  a run.

6.02: We're away again and Hiddink has introduced Vladimir Bystrov with  Dmitri Sychev  making way.

5.46: Half-time 2-0

5.45 GOAL: Villa makes Guus Hiddink's side pay right at the end of the opening period. Andres Iniesta is the creator this time with a beautifully-weighted through ball and Villa keeps his head to slot home.

Take two: Villa beats goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev to double Spain's lead

Take two: Villa beats goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev to double Spain's lead

5.41: Spain survive a scare as the first half draws to a close. Roman Pavlyuchenko 's free-kick hits the wall but  he smashes a second attempt off the woodwork. It wouldn't have counted as the referee had blown for a foul  but it  gives Russia hope.

5.30: Xavi looks comfortable pulling the strings for Spain in the middle of the park but his searching pass for Villa slips away on the wet surface and the attack breaks down.

5.22: Russia almost conjure up an instant reply when Konstatin Zyryanov  hits the foot of the post after the Spanish defence fail to clear a low cross.

5.20 GOAL: It's David Villa with the opener after Torres lays it on a plate for the Valencia striker. Villa just has to tap home into an empty net after Torres shows good strength and vision on the left hand side.

Scorer Villa (left) and Torres celebrate Spain's first goal

Scorer Villa (left) and Torres celebrate Spain's first goal

5.17: Igor Semshov has the first real chance for Russia but he fails to hit the target after a sweeping move down the right catches Spain cold.

5.09: Fernando Torres looks in the mood as he celebrates his 50th cap for Spain, rattling a shot just wide early on. But the Russians don't look as if they're ready to let him have it all his own way, with a couple of tasty challenges on the Liverpool man in the opening stages.

Benchmark: Cesc Fabregas (right) and Pepe Reina don't look too happy to be named among the subs

Benchmark: Cesc Fabregas (right) and Pepe Reina don't look too happy to be named among the subs


Teams

SPAIN: Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Marchena, Puyol, Capdevila, Silva, Senna, Xavi, Iniesta, Villa, Torres.

Subs: Palop, Albiol, Fernando Navarro, Juanito, Arbeloa, Alonso, De la Red, Fabregas, Santi Cazorla, Guiza, Sergio Garcia, Reina.

RUSSIA: Akinfeev, Aniukov, Shirokov, Kolodin, Zhirkov, Sychev, Zyryanov, Semak, Semshov, Bilyaletdinov, Pavluchenko.

Subs: Gabulov, Vasili Berezutsky, Yanbaev, Ignashevich, Alexei Berezutsky, Bystrov, Torbinsky, Ivanov, Saenko, Adamov, Malafeev.

Referee: Konrad Plautz (Austria).

Latin ladies: a group of fervent Spanish supporters in Innsbruck

Latin ladies: a group of fervent Spanish supporters in Innsbruck

From Russia with love: in the blue corner

From Russia with love: in the blue corner


Comments

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