Spain 1 Republic of Ireland 1 AET
Morientes 8; Keane 90 (pen)

Spain win 3-2 in penatly shoot-out

What the heck was that Camacho????? You never fail to amaze with your tactics! How incredibly ARROGANT of you to think that 1-0 was enough - and to take off your blasted strikers!! When the hell are you going to learn?!?! And who (pray) is LUQUE??? Where did you dig him up from? Good isn't he?!?!? Thank God for Mrs Doubtfire!!! :)

OK - the story of the match: Ireland came out all a-running and hustling. Spain were calm and played to feet; never in trouble (not really). Morientes scored a great headed goal (the Irish contingent had it as an Irish defensive mess-up - but if one of theirs had scored it, it would've been a great headed goal). Spain ran the show. They never raised a sweat. That they couldn't score a second goal was only due to the man on the line, with the twitch. They could've had the ball in the back of the Irish net 7 or 8 times, were it not for his "off-side" decisions. Second half. Ireland were a bit better - but Spain continued to calmly control the game. But They Weren't That Good - it wasn't that obvious that 1-0 would do them. SO - he takes off Morientes AND Raul??? And stuck on Luque and Albelda? Que??? So, of course, when Ireland got their 2nd penalty (they missed their first), and scored it - Spain were up a gum tree without a paddle! They had to play 30 minutes of extra-time, with nobody on the pitch who was capable of scoring. So, the penalty shoot out:

Silver Boots!!

At last though - a game to get excited about!! Next up for Spain, S Korea or Italy. Hmm. Hopefully, they will have sacked their coach by then.

FOOTNOTE!! Nobody noticed that, actually, Spain were playing with only 10 men for the entirety of extra time, Albelda being injured.

Teams

Spain: Casillas, Puyol, Helguera, Hierro, Juanfran, Baraja, Valeron, De Pedro (Mendieta 66), Luis Enrique, Raul (Luque 80), Morientes (Albelda 71).

Booked: Juanfran, Baraja, Hierro.

Rep of Ireland: Given, Gary Kelly (Quinn 55), Staunton (Cunningham 50), Breen, Harte (Connolly 82), Finnan, Kinsella, Holland, Kilbane, Duff, Keane.

Attendance: 38,926.

Referee: Anders Frisk (Sweden [aka Ireland]).

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