Spain line-up: Casillas (c), Ramos, Pique, Alba, Arbeloa, Xavi, Silva (Pedro, 65'), Alonso, Fabregas (Torres, 67'), Iniesta (Cazorla, 84'), Busquets
France line-up: Lloris (c), Reveillere, Clichy, Rami, Koscielny, Debuchy (Menez, 64'), Malouda (Nasri, 65'), Ribery, Cabaye, M'Vila (Giroud, 79'), Benzema
A Xabi Alonso brace in his 100th appearance puts Spain through to face Portugal in the semi-finals. It may have arguably been the poorest quarter final so far but the defending champions did enough to see off a lacklustre French resistance. Eyebrows were once again raised when Vincent Del Bosque set up his starting eleven without an out in out striker.
Just like against Italy, Spain were dominant in possession but France potentially carried the bigger attacking threat. Spain had an early penalty shout on six minutes when Cesc Fabregas fell under the challenge of a chasing Gael Clichy. The referee waved play on, to the disgust of Fabregas, it was one of those challenges that have been given but it would have been very soft.
The first real shot in anger came two minutes later when Alonso spotted Hugo Lloris off his line. The Madrid play maker tried an effort from near the halfway that was on target but easily caught by the French goalkeeper.
The stranglehold finally paid off on 19-minutes when Jordi Alba tried a run down the wing. He managed to break free from two challenges as he entered the box. Alba then whipped a cross in that was met by Alonso and powerfully dispatched.
France's best chances came from set pieces as their ball retention wasn't fantastic. Yohan Cabaye's curling free-kick was smartly tipped over the bar by Iker Casillas, their best first half effort. Most of France's possession was in the middle of the park when it needed to be higher up the pitch, especially in the second half.
The game then began to fizzle out as Spain looked happy enough to take the 1-0 victory. The result was then finalised in injury time when substitute Pedro went over easily from a clumsy challenge by Anthony Reveillere. Alonso stepped up and dispatched the penalty neatly into the bottom corner. Spain have only beaten Portugal once in the last thirty years, but it was on the way to the trophy four years ago.
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