Spain won the Euro 2012 in scintillating fashion putting on a magical display of control and possession, precise passing and overall superiority to outclass Italy 4-0 in the finals telecast by Solar Sports in the Philippines beginning at 2:30 a.m. Monday.
It was a historic moment for Spain with back-to-back triumphs in Euro and a 2010 World Cup victory in South Africa.
Although badly beaten the score didn’t give Italy the credit they deserved playing with ten men in the second half after third substitute Thiago Motta had to be stretchered off with a hamstring injury.
It was an almost impossible task against Vicente del Bosque’s side that is regarded as probably the greatest international team in the history of football.
Fernando Torres whose switch from Liverpool to Chelsea hadn’t produced the expected results came in as a late substitute with an emphatic third goal and then set up his Chelsea teammate Juan Mata with a delightful pass to score Spain’s fourth goal against a tired and listless Italian team.
While it was a heartbreaking night for the Italians with their ace striker Mario Balotelli who scored two cracking goals in the semi finals against fancied Germany, storming into the dugout the moment the final whistle sounded.
The Spaniards attacked like an armada from the kickoff, obviously wanting to prove some of their critics who classified their style as dull and boring.
They surged forward with remarkable zest at every opportunity.
When the MVP of the tournament Andres Iniesta laid on a pass to Cesc Fabregas who outsmarted Giorgio Chiellini before delivering a superb cross to Sila who thundered the pall into the top of the net beyond the reach of Italian keeper and captain Gianluuigo Buffon, it set the tone for a night of exquisite football .