john craig wrote:Spain bottled it, they have a younger team yet seemed to fade before France. Average age of their team is 24 and I think the lack of experience showed nearer the end. France had the ability to grind it out as they'd been there before, but Spain started to panic when it became clear at 1-1 on 70 minutes that one mistake would lose the game. Very talented side though Spain, perhaps at the next world cup when most of these players should be reaching their peak they'll go a lot closer.
I agree, they looked a little nervous as the time ticked away and they were finding less and less time on the ball in the midfield. Joaquin did some nice work on the right but the end product was lacking and the same goes with Pernio on the left. Garcia was lively but he was virtually leading the line, as Torres kept dropping deep (and getting dispossessed by Makelele). It was just one of those games, I think, that could have gone either way for much of the match but, as time ticked away, seemed more and more likely to end with a French victory.
Gutted for Sabre and for our Spanish lads. On the bright side, no injuries for Alonso or Garcia (or Reina
) and they can now rest up in preparation for a run at Chelsea!
)
