Euro 2008 Final: Germany 0-1 Spain are the CHAMPIONS (Full Match Report and Video)
This was the final of Euro 2008, which has been a fantastic tournament. Everyone was hoping for a thrilling game, with Germany the favorites to win the tournament. Spain had won all their previous games prior to this final, beating Italy in the quarter finals and Russia in the semi finals, so came in to this game on top form. Germany, however, had been struggling a bit in the previous game against Turkey, who they beat with a last minute goal in the semi finals.
Germany soon took control of the game, playing intelligent football and putting together a couple of good opportunities, but around half way through the first half, the game became more open, and slowly Spain began to take control. It was not long after this that Torres jumped higher than the German defenders to head the ball on to the post, with Lehmann well and truly beaten.
It was the thirty third minute when the first goal came, with Xavi playing a superb ball through the German defenders, and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres latched on to the ball, pushing through the defenders and chipping the ball over Jens Lehmann and in to the empty German net. After that Spain really took control of the game, playing fast and fluent football, with Germany struggling to gain possession, and when they did, the Spaniards just got the ball straight back, and the teams went in to half time with Spain looking well on top.
In the second half the story was much the same as in the first. Germany started the half well, running rings around the Spaniards for around twenty minutes, and had plenty of opportunities to draw level, but slowly Spain started to take control, and suddenly they looked the more likely team to score, playing the ball around the Germans and after around seventy five minute the Germans seemed to give up, roaming around the pitch with no urgency, and Spain probably should have scored at least two more goals, but the final whistle blew with the Spanish leading by one goal.
The result means that Spain are the European Champions for the first time in forty four years, and they truly deserved the title. On the night they were the better team, with Germany never really looking like much of a threat after twenty minutes had been played, and Spain capitalized on this. A very good game, and congratulations Spain!
Final Score:
Germany 0 – 1 Spain
Watch the GOAL:
Spain went into this game expected to win. The majority of Britons asked said they thought the Spanish international side were the most likely to go all the way, but first they had to get through their first game against Russia.
