World Champion Spain defeated Ireland Republic 4-0 in a Group C encounter of UEFA Euro Cup 2012 at Gdansk on Thursday night. Spain was at its usual best recording their biggest win at Europian Championship Finals.
Fernando Torres scored twice in this match, he started from the bench in the first match, but he was being introduced to the action in place of Fabregas for this Euro Cup 2012 match against Ireland Republic, David Silva and Cesc Fabregas each bagged a goal in a match that saw total Spanish domination from start to finish.
Each side had made just one change from their previous Group C match, with Torres and Simon Cox being introduced to the action in place of Fabregas and Kevin Doyle, and it was the two strikers who made an immediate impression at the start of the match.
Cox tested the gloves of Iker Casillas in the first minute of the game with a well-struck shot from the edge of the area that was competently saved by the Spain captain.
The Chelsea man Fernando Torres pounced on some uncertain defending on the edge of the box from Richard Dunne to smash a vicious strike past Shay Given from the right-hand side of the goal to give the reigning European Championship holders the lead just four minutes into the match, providing the nightmare start the Irish had feared.
Ireland held on until the break but Spain doubled their lead four minutes into the second period when Given parried an Andres Iniesta shot into Silva's path and he twisted and turned before stroking the ball into the corner from close range.
Silva played Torres clean through to slot into the bottom right corner in the 70th minute for his 30th international goal on his 95th appearance, lifting him above Fernando Hierro to third on Spain's list of record scorers.
Torres has now scored 30 goals for Spain. Only Raul (44) and David Villa (51) have scored more goals for their country.
The former Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas replaced Torres in the 74th minute heaped on the misery for Ireland in the 82nd minute smashing Spain's fourth goal in off a post from a tight angle making it 4-0 in favor of Spain.
Spain now head into the last match on Sunday against Croatia in pole position to qualify from Group C as group winners. Republic of Ireland take on Italy as Trapattoni's men aim to generate some pride in their last match of Euro 2012.
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