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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Steven Bloor

Spain v France - in pictures

Spain v France: Donbass Arena
The Donbass Arena is the venue of today's match and the big news is that following the big post-match dressing room barney after the Sweden game, Samir Nasri is starting on the bench. Again Spain don't have a recognised forward in their starting XI Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images
Spain v France: Spain fan
There's plenty of passion eminating from the Spanish terraces ... Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Spain v France: France fans
As well as from the French end Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images
Spain v France: Spain's Cesc Fabregas reacts
Six minutes in and the first chance of the game comes after Spain neglect their usual tiki-taka for an old fashioned long ball down the middle. As Cesc Fabregas chases the ball into the area there's a smidgeon of contact between him and Gael Clichy and both players tumble to the floor. Fabregas gets up and screeches for a penalty, but the ref is having none of it and waves play on Photograph: Michael Buholzer/Reuters
Spain v France 3: Spain's Andres Iniesta in action
Spain's Andres Iniesta goes on a run Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images
Spain v France: Alonso scores
Halfway through the first half Spain take the lead with a brilliantly simple goal. Iniesta lifts a lovely short pass down the left to set Jordi Alba free. Debuchy slips, allowing the Spaniard to scuttle into the area. He pulls a cross back to Xabi Alonso, 10 yards out, who heads the cleverest of finishes down and back across Lloris, into the left-hand side of the net Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Spain v France 3: Xabi Alonso scores
This view give you an idea of exactly how much time and space Xabi Alonso had to guide his header home Photograph: Jasper Juinen/Getty Images
Spain v France 3: Alonso celebrates
He's got every reason to look pleased with himself, it was a fantastically taken header full of power and precision Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images
Spain v France 3: Karim Benzema
Midway through the first half Karim Benzema is felled thirty yards out. He gets up, steadies himself, steps up to take the resulting free-kick and then blasts the ball into Row Z. Very poor, very poor indeed. Just five minutes later Yohan Cabaye shows Benzema how it's done when he fires his free-kick towards the top corner and it's only a great leaping save by Iker Casillas that keeps the Spanish goal intact Photograph: Tolga Bozoglu/EPA
Spain v France 3: Spain's Casillas makes a save
The Spanish keeper is called into action again a few minutes later when he has to dive and gather the ball amidst a mass of boots Photograph: Charles Platiau/Reuters
Spain v France 2: French midfielder Franck Ribery reacts
The French are finding it hard to break down an organised Spanish side, it's frustrating stuff for Les Bleus. Half-time score Spain 1-0 France Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images
Spain v France 3: Mexican wave
It wasn't just Ribery who felt the frustration - the Spanish tiki-taka and lack of French ambition meant that the fans have to get a mexican wave on the go in order to give them something to get excited about Photograph: Damien Meyer/AFP/Getty Images
Spain v France 3: France's Ribery is challenged by Spain's Arbeloa and Alonso
France start the second half the brighter of the two teams, with Ribery instrumental in the couple of half-chances the French conjure up Photograph: Vasily Fedosenko/Reuters
Spain v France 2: France's Lloris makes a save in front of Spain's Fabregas
Spain shake themselves out of their slumber and Xavi rolls a pass straight down the middle for Fabregas to chase. Lloris manages to snuff out the chance Photograph: Vasily Fedosenko/Reuters
Spain v France 3: Spanish forward Fernando Torres
After 67 minutes Spain finally put a recognised forward on the pitch when Fernando Torres replaces Fabregas Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images
Spain v France 3: French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris
Within minutes of coming on Torres finds himself bearing down on Lloris. Again the French goalkeeper is out quickly and uses his face to block the ball - that must have smarted. If Torres had managed to dink it over Lloris the goal wouldn't have stood as the Spanish forward was offside Photograph: Jeff Pachoud/AFP/Getty Images
Spain v France 3: General view of the action
As the second half becomes all about passing and not about penetration a cacophony of slow hand claps reverberates around the Donbass Photograph: Jasper Juinen/Getty Images
Spain v France 3: Ribery
On the hour mark Ribery dances down the left then loops a ball into the box ... Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Spain v France 3: Mathieu Debuchy header
Where Mathieu Debuchy rises to meet the cross but his header drifts inches over the bar Photograph: Patrick Hertzog/AFP/Getty Images
Spain v France 3: Nasri
The Spanish use numbers to quell any French attacks Photograph: Jasper Juinen/Getty Images
Spain v France 3: France attack
A rare French attack but, alas for Les Bleus, again it comes to nothing Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Spain v France 3: Anthony Reveillere of France challenges Pedro
In the last minute Pedro twists and turns into the French penalty area, he's heading towards the goal when Anthony Reveillere sticks out a right foot and clips the Spaniard. The ref points to the spot Photograph: Henry Browne/Action Images
Spain v France 2: Xabi Alonsol
Xabi Alonso, who's winning his 100th cap tonight, sends the keeper the wrong way for his second goal of the night Photograph: Martin Rose/Getty Images
Spain v France 2: Alonso celebrates
So it's Spain, who weren't in top gear tonight, that go through to face their Iberian rivals Portugual in the semi-finals Photograph: Martin Rose/Getty Images
Spain v France 3: Ribery
For the French fans it's hard to guess what would be more disappointing - the fact that it's the first time that France have lost to Spain, or the manner in which they lost, they were appalling. As the teams left the pitch Franck Ribery seemed to be the only French player who was really disappointed that they had lost. It'll be interesting to see if there's any dressing room hoo-hah later on. Final score Spain 2-0 France Photograph: Ivan Sekretarev/AP
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