Spain 0
Italy 0

Cesc Fabregas looked at the incredible shrinking goalposts in Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadion and reckoned the fearsome sight in front of him transported him back to those days when he was a kid coming through Barcelona's youth ranks.

Only this was seriously for grown-ups; a shoot-out penalty against the best goalie in the business to knock out the world champions.

"Yes, it's the first penalty I shoot. Since I was 15 I don't think I've taken one in any game," said the Arsenal maestro as he reflected on the moment when it fell upon his slim shoulders to prevent another Spanish failure. "That goal became a bit small when I looked up."

A nation need not have worried. With the coolest of conversions past Gianluigi Buffon, Fabregas ignited celebrations which told of relief as much as jubilation. Bizarrely, Spain had lost three previous championship penalty shoot-outs on 22 June so Fabregas was acting as mythbuster as much as match-winner. No wonder on 23 June he could pronounce it "the most important goal of my life".

It offers the Spanish on Thursday in the same stadium a golden opportunity to reach their first major championship final for 44 years when they face Russia.

His Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, sitting next to another useful No10 Zinedine Zidane, must again have been impressed with Fabregas's character as he finished off the job which Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas had done most to fashion by saving spot kicks from both Daniele de Rossi and Antonio Di Natale.

"I wasn't nervous," he said, after accepting the thankless job of taking Spain's fifth penalty.

"This was a huge night and we're just simply delighted because we've been waiting for this for a long time."

Two adventurers like Wenger and Zizou wouldn't have argued with Cesc's verdict that "it was football justice that we won" 4-2 in the shoot-out because, after a tedious game, the Azzurri's familiar safety-first approach ultimately got what it merited.

For Fabregas, though, could the sheer joy at doing his bit in what felt like a turning point in the history of the Spanish national team be the prelude to him playing more than just a support role in the final push for glory?

So far, apart from his start in the 'reserves' against Greece after qualification had already been achieved, his job has been to come on as a second-half replacement for one of Luis Aragones' key Barcelona midfield duo of Xavi and Andres Iniesta. When he replaced Xavi last night, he injected more urgency and directness into Spain's game.

Okay, so ultimately he couldn't prise open the meannest of defences either but the 21-year-old must at least be nudging Aragones into considering a starting berth for him on Thursday.

Yet Fabregas shrugs that he is happy to play the 'super sub' role. "Of course," he said. "It's very difficult to get into the side because the quality is very high. But I'll be there when the coach needs me."

And he may well be needed against Guus Hiddink's Russia who, after the dazzling Andriy Arshavin show in which the baby-faced sprite orchestrated a 3-1 win over Holland, will represent a different proposition to the side which they rolled over 4-1 in the group stage when the playmaker was suspended.

"It won't be the same game. If we think like that, it will be very wrong. They've got a lot of potential, are young and want revenge," said Fabregas.

As for Arshavin, Fabregas could recognise a kindred spirit.

"I didn't really know him before the Dutch game, but he looks good so we are going to have to be careful," he said.

"Although it's a good feeling to get to the semi-final, there's nothing done here. I still say we have to stay patient".

Clearly, it's not just young Englishmen who've been brought up understanding the terrible weight of football history.