Torres delivers finishing touch to make Spain kings of Europe

* Kevin McCarra at the Ernst Happel Stadium
* The Guardian,
* Monday June 30 2008

The delightfulness of Euro 2008 has been capped by its profound justice. Adroit and artistic Spain have triumphed in a tournament where their squad had the depth of talent to outdo all others. Those who mused that Luis Aragonés's side might lack in forwards while the tournament's top scorer, David Villa, was injured received their answer. Liverpool's Fernando Torres took the only goal with a mixture of anticipation, pace and delicacy of finish.

Germany were as intrepid as is to be expected of a nation in pursuit of a seventh major prize. Nonetheless, Michael Ballack, who had recovered from a calf strain, was the key person in a line-up that had to depend on its doggedness. Strong-minded as Spain have also been in winning all six of their matches here, technical excellence is the true basis of their domination.

Aragonés carries some notoriety but he has taught Spain to count on their talent. The inability to win a trophy since taking this same competition in Madrid in 1964 has been all the more galling because footballers of lavish gifts have been among those who floundered. At Euro 2008, by contrast, Spain never permitted their opponents to assume the lead in any game.

This final had rough moments and it called for forbearance from the Italian referee Roberto Rosetti to restrict himself to four bookings. Germany are hardy and they carried the play to Spain at times. It must peeve them that the deadlock could not be prolonged as they wished because of a single lapse.

In the 33rd minute Xavi eased a through-ball which Philipp Lahm was well placed to deal with, but the swift Torres first moved outside the left-back and then inside him to flip a finish meticulously over the advancing Jens Lehmann and into the far corner of the net. "Lahm was in a better position but for a moment he relaxed and I took advantage," said the scorer, who had hit the post with a header 10 minutes earlier.

That took Torres's tally for Euro 2008 to a modest two goals but this contribution was priceless. Aragonés had never lost sight of the challenge he poses to a back four and the liberty that opens up for team-mates accordingly.

Lahm was reportedly taken off with an injury, but Germany needed his replacement Marcell Jansen, a naturally left-sided footballer, to attack Spain. Joachim Löw's team could not do that with any consistency, all the same. If they disturbed the opposition it was at the start. With much forthrightness then, they set course repeatedly for the right-back Sergio Ramos, illustrating the truth that he is really a centre-half.

Despite that awkward spell, Spain were bound to cause Germany distress sooner or later. Löw's side had already conceded four goals in the knockout phase before they got to this match and their opposition, having steadied themselves, were soon exploring the rich possibilities.

Spain may have broken through only once but they defend well and have kept clean sheets since leaving the group stage. Lehmann was involved in the game to a greater extent than Iker Casillas in the opposing goal. With 14 minutes gone Xavi unleashed Andrés Iniesta on the left and the cross, after breaking off Christoph Metzelder, had to be turned behind impressively by the former Arsenal goalkeeper.

Lehmann is a veteran but the tradition on which Germany counts is even older. The consciousness of their predecessors' accomplishments stiffens the resolve of the present-day Germany to transcend their own weaknesses. No other country realises its potential in international football quite as they do. The trait was there from fairly early days, with West Germany defeating the vastly more accomplished Hungary to take the 1954 World Cup.

That menace, to the sorrow of rivals, is not imprisoned entirely within the pages of the history books. It had been on the loose at Euro 2008. Against sides inferior to Spain, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski, in particular, had prospered, savouring a status that eludes them at Bayern Munich.

Although Spain, in recent times, have been capable of touching a higher standard, their terror was of letting themselves down after coming all this way at Euro 2008. The side had wrestled with such psychological issues, especially in the quarter-final victory over Italy in a shoot-out. Aragonés's team, in addition, go into most matches with the knowledge that they will be facing adversaries who are, on average, taller and stronger. Considering that Spain also have restricted supplies of pace, it says everything about the technique in the ranks that they were clear favourites to win this final.

Their advantage had looked fragile now and again in a sometimes heated game and a fracas between Casillas and Ballack secured a booking for each. Prior to that the Germany midfielder had needed protracted treatment for a cut to his head. The lasting pain for Ballack is in further sorrow at yet another defeat in a final.

He had no means of evading the woe. The striving could be ugly and two opponents went brow to brow, with David Silva deemed the main offender, although neither he nor Podolski was cautioned by Rosetti. It is the Germans alone whose heads will ache over this evening in Vienna.

Taken from the Guardian/Observer