Casillas Spain's shoot-out saviour

Spain overcame a dreadful history and a phobia. Their terror of shoot-outs was conquered and so were Italy, whom they had not beaten in competitive football for 88 years. The decisive penalty was taken by the substitute Cesc Fábregas, who displayed all the calm associated with his Arsenal displays as he slipped the ball past Gigi Buffon's left hand. “It could have been any other penalty I have taken,” he said.

Previously Daniele de Rossi and Alessandro Di Natale had failed for Italy, while Daniel Güiza, of Spain, also had his effort saved. With a day’s less rest than the opposition in their legs, as well as the effects of extra-time, Spain go on to face Russia in the semi-finals on Thursday. They will, all the same be filled with pride, if not energy, after getting through this ordeal.

Each man approached the penalty spot with a need to silence the whisper in his mind that reminded him of how Spain had three times been eliminated in shoot-outs on this very date in the quarter-finals of the European Championship and World Cup. “Penalties are always a lottery and it was about time we won one,” said their goalkeeper, Iker Casillas. He may be right about the element of chance but it will be regarded as an act of justice in this case. Spain can be faulted for a lack of pace and for a touch of pedantry in their elaborate passing but their conception of football is elevated. The same claim cannot be made for Italy, whose main notion was too often to bash the ball towards their goalless targetman Luca Toni.

While Italy are world champions, thanks to penalty kicks in the 2006 final, the glory of that title probably diverted them from the degree of team-building that was needed. The Italian federation announced last night that there will be no rush to judgment over their coach, Roberto Donadoni, but his survival did not look likely yesterday. His opposite number had the privilege of being magnanimous after this triumph.

“It was a very evenly balanced game,” said Luis Arágones. “Italy are always a difficult side to break down and very dangerous on the break.” Nothing so interesting was apparent to the crowd.There are moments when a spectator wonders if it is greedy of him to expect that one piece of sharp play will be followed by another.

Italy ought to have all the calm that rightly belongs to footballers who conquered the world two years ago and Spain, by the same token, should have developed confidence on the basis of recent form. Both instead seemed burdened by the importance of the occasion. The interval was in sight before it suddenly dawned on the participants that something bold and decisive had to be attempted. Donadoni’s team, wrongly as it turned out, were more relaxed about the lack of impact.

Countries with records as distinguished as Italy’s are inclined to be insouciant. Tournaments have frequently come right in the end so why should they dwell on the fact that the side would presumably have been knocked out of Euro 2008 already, in the group phase, if Adrian Mutu had converted a penalty for Romania with nine minutes to go? There was, of course, a pitfall in all this complacency over the moderate displays put on before last night.

Spain, indeed, were close to going in front here eight minutes from the break. Fernando Torres cut in from the left and when his effort was blocked David Silva, from the other side of the area flashed a drive narrowly wide of the far post. Slightly earlier, all the same, Italy had indicated that they did not need long periods of possession to build menace. Antonio Cassano, free of Sergio Ramos, crossed precisely for Toni but the striker’s header bounced off his marker Carlos Marchena.

Around that time Italy mustered a modicum of adventure, despite missing the suspended Rino Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo. There was more forcefulness and when a Christian Panucci clearance cannoned off De Rossi, the impressive Giorgio Chiellini made an excellent challenge on Silva.

Ultimately, all the same, Spain did not have penetration. Torres was eventually taken off and, peeved as he was by that, Arágones had been correct to remove him.

Spain had the greater enterprise yet did not bring enough focus to their work. The action annoyed the referee, Herbert Fandel, who had waved away a few claims for fouls and ultimately cautioned David Villa after refusing to accept that the striker had simply lost his balance in the penalty area. Frustration was everywhere and Donadoni replaced Cassano, who had made a few worthwhile contributions, with the ill-fated Antonio Di Natale.

The tournament had not been afflicted with a game of this sort since the opening set of fixtures in which Romania and France held one another to a turgid 0-0 draw. There was more endeavour here, yet the teams were living up to footballing stereotypes of Spanish ineffectiveness and Italian durability. Arágones’ team, nonetheless, will be remembered for a victory that their positive attitude merited.