2003: In the absence of Denis Kolodin - the new Arie Haan? - Roman Pavlyuchenko hammers his effort a yard over the bar.
2002: Fernando Torres tries to chest down a long pass into the penalty area and Sergei Ignashevich does appear to have an arm across the Spaniard, but the referee gives nothing. At the other end, Andrei Arshavin is clumsily fouled by Carles Puyol and Russia have a free-kick 35 yards out.
2002: "Stevo. I played a charity match at Hampden last month and set up a goal with a cross. After the game Pat Nevin, watching from sidelines, described it as a delightful little dink cross that even he would have been proud of!"
David Dishon, at work, Edinburgh, via text
2001: "Great weather for shots from distance."
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1958: David Villa whacks in a shot from 20 yards that moves like a Ryan Sidebottom outswinger and Igor Akinfeev does well to parry it away.
1958: Igor Semshov and his colleagues weave some pretty patterns down the Russian right, but his cross is too close to Iker Casillas.
1956: "Spain's kit is a bit rubbish isn't it? Mustard and black? Ughhh."
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1953: It's not going to be 0-0, I can assure you of that. Fernando Torres fashions a half-chance in the Russia box but his shot cannons off the legs of Igor Akinfeev.
1952: Stunning cross from the right from Xavi and Sergio Ramos flings himself towards it, only inches away from contact in the end.
1951: Andrei Arshavin tries to turn Sergio Ramos, but the Real Madrid defender stands up to him well and gets in a superb tackle.
1950: Still hammering it down. Apparently, if the game has to be abandoned it would be replayed on Friday.
1947: A touch late, but who's counting? We are under way in Vienna.
1945: Prince Felipe of Spain, heir to the Spanish throne, and his wife Princess Letizia are representing their country in the Ernst Happel Stadion tonight. The anthems are over, let the football commence - but not before Iker Casillas and Sergei Semak read out anti-racism messages.
1942: For some reason, there is a delay playing the national anthems. After a two-minute wait, here they come. And remember, ahem, no words to the Spanish one...
1942: "(See 1912) Pat Nevin's also a man of culture. That's why we named the legendary Edinburgh University intra-mural team 'Pat Nevin's haircut'. We won little except the worse strip in Britain competition in The Guardian. I would describe it but must get the kids out the bath."
Phil, Glasgow, former goalkeeper, via text
1940: "Russia have improved markedly with every match, Spain have got steadily worse, I sense a 4-1 Russian romp tonight."
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1938: The players are in the tunnel. Iker Casillas gave Guus Hiddink a great big hug a few minutes ago, touching scenes after their time together at Real Madrid.
1937: "The sneaky Russians will sneak through tonight I reckon. They play as a unit and I reckon Spain will bottle it once again in a major semi. My money is on Russia, with Pavlyuchenko grabbing a goal."
Demsie, via text
1932: "People keep going on about Fabregas not starting. OK, he's a truly terrific player but there's no room for him this year. Xavi and Fabregas wouldn't work like Senna and Xavi and Xavi is who Spain look to. Spain's success shows that your best team doesn't always contain your best players."
Rhys, Wales, via text
Very, very good point.
1928: Stevo Predo: Russia 2-3 Spain
If only embarrassing myself was written into my contract.
1926: Fans of Spanish crooner Julio Iglesias might be interested to know that the veteran will be crashing out some tunes in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg this evening. But don't worry about his safety, he won't be A Man Alone as security around the 64-year-old will be stepped up. Iglo used to stand between the sticks for a Real Madrid youth team don't you know, until a serious car crash in 1963 put paid to that career. How different the world would have been had Iglesias, Luciano Pavarotti and Pope John Paul II all become goalkeepers instead of going into their chosen professions?
1923: "I think Spain will bottle it. Russia have Hiddink."
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1920: Russia are up against it - history tells us that much. Only two sides have ever won a major tournament after losing their opening game - the Netherlands at Euro 1988 and West Germany at the 1954 World Cup, when they beat Hungary in the final having lost their opener 8-3 to the Magical Magyars. Though history told us Spain would lose on penos on 22 June - only for Spain to make a mockery of that one.
1916: There's a lot of texts coming in about someone called Eaton. Now all I know is that he's a British tennis player and he's losing at Wimbledon. So, football fans - can you get texting? It's 81111, of course.
Live - Eaton v Tursunov
1912: I was lucky enough to grab hold of former Chelsea and Everton flyer Patrick Nevin a couple of days ago to find out what he reckoned would happen in Vienna tonight. Tell you what - Nevo isn't half a fan of that Russian side and boss Guus Hiddink, but crikey he knows his stuff as well. What a thoroughly nice chap.
Pat Nevin on Russia v Spain
1907: Here goes that man Danny the Stat once again: "No doubt who users of our Player Rater tool are backing tonight. It's Spain, Spain, Spain all the way. The players of Luis Aragones have averaged a score of 6.73 throughout this tournament, making them the second-highest ranked team. But who's in front? The Netherlands. And who beat them in the quarters? Russia. Stats = complicated."
1904: It's absolutely whacking it down in Vienna as the Spanish players step out on to the slick surface to go through their warm-up. I mean, really hammering it down. I feel wet just watching.
1902: Stevo's one to watch: Andres Iniesta. A defence-splitting through-ball to die for in the first game apart, the Spanish schemer has had a relatively quiet Euros. But blessed with extraordinary technique, sublime weight of pass and a wonderful awareness of the players around him, write the talented Iniesta off at your peril.
1858: "(See 1837) So Lippi has broken the oldest rule in the book by rejoining a team he left? Didn't he win the Scudetto twice and make a Champs Lge final after returning to Juve for a second stint?"
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Well, you certainly made me look ridiculous, didn't you? Nice one. Though Danny the Stat says it didn't work for Gerry Francis at Rovers and that's all the comeback I've got.
1855: Stevo's one to watch: Yuri Zhirkov. The marauding left-back with the 1980s hair and boundless energy has lit up Euro 2008 with a stunning impression of the great Roberto Carlos in his pomp. But don't expect him to stay on the left flank - he'll be causing mayhem all over the place. A one-man exhibition of Total Football.
1851: "(See 1815) How frustrating to see the Russian players offered two gorgeous girls each if they win tonight. When I was playing for Squires Wanderers in the Lancaster Sunday League Third Division, our win bonus was a sausage and egg mcmuffin each. Oh for a Russian billionnaire!"
Cass in Lancaster, via text
1847: "Shocked that Fabregas isn't starting after his performance on Sunday night - surely he's proved by now that he deserves a place in the first XI?"
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1845: Russia subs: Gabulov, Malafeev, Yanbaev, A.Berezutski, Adamov, Ivanov, Shirokov, Bilyaletdinov, Sychev, Bystrov. Spain subs: Palop, Reina, Albiol, Fernando Navarro, Fabregas, Santi Cazorla, Alonso, Sergio Garcia, Guiza, Arbeloa, Juanito, De la Red.
1842: TEAM NEWS Russia v Spain
So, Spain are unchanged from the side that beat Italy on penalties in their quarter-final, with Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas having to be content with a place on the bench again. Russia make one change, Vasili Berezutski coming in for the suspended Denis Kolodin.
1840: LINE-UPS Russia v Spain
Russia: Akinfeev, V.Berezutski, Ignashevich, Saenko, Arshavin, Semak, Zyryanov, Zhirkov, Pavlyuchenko, Semshov, Anyukov.
Spain: Casillas, Marchena, Puyol, Iniesta, Villa, Xavi, Torres, Capdevila, Sergio Ramos, Senna, Silva.
1837: Big news from the world of Italy tonight with the announcement that Marcello Lippi has, as my colleague Phil points out, broken the oldest rule in the book by taking up his old job as coach after Roberto Donadoni was sacked. He'll struggle to enjoy the same success as he did last time, that's for sure.
Lippi re-appointed as Italy coach
1834: See 1825. I feel I should now clarify that Russia will be playing in red tonight and, as the away team, Spain will line-up in yellow. But Louis wasn't to know that, was he? He's only four. I don't think Luis Aragones will be too chuffed - like many Spaniards, he thinks yellow is an unlucky colour. He's even refused to work with yellow training cones in the past. Probably doesn't listen to Coldplay, then.
1829: Apparently, there's other sport going on tonight. Now I love Tom Fordyce like a brother and Sarah Holt like a sister, but I know none of you will leave me in favour of Wimbledon, right? It's barely even a sport, some might argue.
Live - Wimbledon day four
Live - Eaton v Tursunov
1825: The impact of this tournament hit home to me on Wednesday when I was chatting to my lovely colleague Mark Orlovac - a Croatian whose only flaw is a fondness for rugby. He was telling me when he got home on Tuesday his young son, Louis, made him put on a white shirt for Russia while he donned a red top for Spain. Then the young man made them walk slowly from the kitchen to the garden (where they've got a goal, clearly) in the same manner the players walk out on to the pitch at Euro 2008. That was only four days after his beloved Hrvatska were bundled out of Euro 2008 by the Turks. And not a rugby ball in sight, too. Legends.
1819: Here's your first chat from the great Danny the Stat today: "It would be fair to say that users of our Player Rater have been wowed plenty by the front men of Russia and Spain. Late starter Andrei Arshavin is the highest-ranked player of the whole tournament with a credibility-busting average score of 9.02 - unbelievable in the harsh world of Rater. But Spain's David Villa (8.13 average) and Fernando Torres (7.57 average) both make the tournament top 10."
1815: "The Sun reported that some chap has offered each Russian player two beautiful women for a victory. Yeah right, as if that's going to motivate anyone who comes from the land of ridiculously svelte beauties. 2-1 Spain."
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1810: I had a feeling you might rock up for this one. I also know you don't need me to talk it up for you. Spain, in the process of putting to bed their tag as the great underachievers, take on the dashing, rampant Russians. What's important is that they both like attacking. Bring it on. And text me to high heaven while you're at it, on 81111, while joining the debate on 606.
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1804: Well, you pit arguably the two best attacking teams in Europe against each other in the semi-finals of arguably the greatest football tournament of all time. Arguably feels a bit like Christmas Day, doesn't it? Except you don't have to pretend to like your family today.
1800: So, how do you follow what happened on Wednesday? In fact, how do you follow match after match after match of relentless brilliance, unbelievable drama and mesmerising attacking football that has enchanted not just a continent but the watching world?



(BBC)

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