Spain beats Russia 3-0 to reach final

Clinical Spain set up Germany final date

VIENNA, Austria -- Spain scored three second-half goals Thursday to beat Russia 3-0 and reach the European Championship final, giving the team a chance to shed its status as one of soccer's biggest underachievers.

Xavi Hernandez, Dani Guiza and David Silva each scored to give the Spaniards a shot at their second European title when they play Germany on Sunday at Ernst Happel Stadium. Spain, which won the 1964 European tournament, ended its run of five quarterfinal defeats by beating Italy in a penalty shootout Sunday. It confirmed its title aspirations with a penetrating passing attack on a slick surface in pouring rain against Russia.

Spain beats Russia 3-0 highlights

The Spaniards and Germans have not played a competitive match since a 1-1 draw in the 1994 World Cup. Overall, Germany has won eight of 19 meetings, with Spain taking five and six draws. In competitive games, it is 4-1-2 for Germany.

Germany beat Turkey 3-2 on Thursday night and is seeking a record fourth Euro title.

Spain will face Germany without striker David Villa, who was injured while taking a free kick in the first half. Villa, the tournament's leading scorer with four goals, limped off the field and was replaced by Cesc Fabregas in the 34th minute.

Spain coach Luis Aragones said Villa will miss the final.

"It's not serious," the coach said. "He has a pull."

Xavi's goal came in the 50th minute. He slid a ball through for Andres Iniesta, who eluded one defender before unleashing a shot from just inside the box. Xavi followed to side-foot the ball past goalkeeper Igor Akinfeyev.

Two Spanish substitutes combined to make it 2-0 in the 73rd. Fabregas flicked a ball over the top of the defense and Guiza finished with the outside of his right foot, putting the ball high into the net.

Fabregas then slid a pass through for an unmarked Silva inside the box in the 82nd and he ended any hope for Russia.

The Spaniards didn't seem distracted by reports that Aragones was set to join Turkish club Fenerbahce as coach after Euro 2008. They were precise with the ball and staunch on defense all through the game.

Spain, which beat the Soviet Union 2-1 in the 1964 final in Madrid, has never lost to Russia in five matches, including a 4-1 win two weeks ago in the first round.

Russia never got its speedy, creative attack on track.

"It was their plan that they were going to make us tired so we couldn't make a (good effort) of it in the second half," Dutch coach Guus Hiddink. "However, we can be proud of reaching where we did and of coming third. We faced really strong opposition tonight, and they deserved to win."