Defending European champions, Spain battled a very organised Portuguese side for 120 minutes without getting a goal in the first semi final match of EURO 2012
The match was thus decided by penalties, as Cesc Fabregas struck the winning spot kick to take spain into the final match, just a match left to become the first team in the history of the EURO's to ein the titlr back to back.
Spain keeper Iker Casillas saved Joao Moutinho's opening penalty then Bruno Alves hit the bar to eventually open the door for substitute Fabregas, who scored via the post.
After a lively first half when Portugal took the game to their neighbours, it got cagier with fewer chances as Cristiano Ronaldo lashed two dipping free kicks just over the bar and sent another flying over in the last minutes after a counter-attack
Spain's Alvaro Arbeloa swept a half-volley over the bar in the ninth minute and remarkably that proved to be Spain's best chance of a disjointed performance until Andres Iniesta forced Rui Patricio into his first serious save just before halftime in extra time when they finally injected some pace and took control.
However when Ronaldo was left out from taking a spot kick.
Germany play Italy in Warsaw on Thursday in the second semi-final with the final in Kiev on Sunday. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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