Euro2012: Croatia hold Italy, Spain trash Ireland

The 2012 European Championships continued for the Group C teams tonight with their second round group matches in the Polish cities of Gdansk and Poznan. While Croatia held the mighty Italians to a draw, the Irish got trashed by Spain in an encounter in which the defending champions showed what they are capable off.


GROUP C

Italy 1-1 (1-0) Croatia
Goals: 1-0 Andrea Pirlo (39'), 1-1 Mario Mandžukić (72')

Italy were held to their second one-all draw at Euro2012, this time by the Croatians and like against Spain they went ahead, this time through Andrea Pirlo and an in-form Mario Mandžukić equalised for Croatia.

Italy had the better chances early on, while Croatia missed a few thereafter and again Italy before Andrea Pirlo scored with a beauty of a free-kick in the 39th minute. But Italy could not keep the lead as a reorganised Croatia equalised in the 72nd minute through Mario Mandžukić.


Spain 4-0 (1-0) Ireland
Goals: 1-0,3-0 Fernando Torres (4',70'), 2-0 David Silva (49'), 4-0 Cesc Fàbregas (83')

Defending champions Spain showed what they are capable off by beating the Irish convincingly 4-0 with striker Fernando Torres scoring a brace and further goals from David Silva and Cesc Fàbregas.

Like against Croatia, Ireland conceded an early goal as an opportunistic Fernando Torres used the chaos and lack of speed in the Irish defence to give La Roja the lead. Thereafter Spain toyed with Ireland, but often they did not look for a finish or keeper Shay Given was in the way. Spain did lead, but only by a goal and midfielder Keith Andrews had the best chance for Ireland in the first session.

The pattern remained the same after the breather, but Spain doubled their lead through a David Silva strike in the 49th minute before Fernando Torres scored his second of the night in the 70th minute. Substitute Cesc Fàbregas added a fourth for Spain just three minutes from time to seal a resounding 4-0 win.