Sport

Spanish media hails team

MADRID: A gleeful Spanish press said its National football team can finally face the future with optimism following its narrow victory over Italy in the European Championship football quarterfinals.

Amid references to the “jinx”, the “curse” and the “ghosts” which they attributed to Spain’s previous failure to reach the last four of a major tournament since 1984, newspapers on Monday singled out goalkeeper Iker Casillas for his two penalty saves in the 4-2 shoot-out victory.

In the past 24 years, Spain was eliminated at this stage three times on penalties — all on June 22, the date of Sunday’s game at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium.

“Iker changes history” blazed leading sports daily Marca, while National El Pais proclaimed “Spain breaks the jinx” on its front page.

“History changed that night, they will say,” sports paper AS wrote, while Barcelona-based daily Mundo Deportivo’s front page limited itself to one word — “Delirium!”

“At a stroke, Casillas swept away all the ghosts which weigh on the National team.

Spain is in the semifinals and at last it is looking at the future,” Marca said.

The local media largely chose not to gloat over Italy’s misfortune, despite many pre-match predictions that Spain would settle its “vendetta” with its dogged opponent, who have achieved much more in international football with a style which is highly unpopular with many Spanish supporters.

However, El Pais said that “Italy, lacking talent, was the crude team which had been expected,” while Marca said Italy’s defeat on penalties would be “especially painful” for a team which is admired for its pragmatism.

By advancing to the Euro semifinals, Spain has advanced its hopes of winning a major trophy for just the second time, papers said.

Spain won the European Championship when it hosted the tournament in 1964. — AP

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