Thaindian News

Madrid, July 4 (DPA) The Spanish media were euphoric Sunday about their national team finally reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup.
“This is what we have been waiting for 60 years,” commented Madrid radio station Cadena COPE, in reference to Saturday’s stormy 1-0 quarter-final defeat of tough Paraguay in Johannesburg.

Spain has never before reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, losing four times in the quarter-finals, often in controversial circumstances.

The only time that La Roja has reached the last four was in Brazil in 1950, when there was a final group of four instead of semi-finals.

Practically every Spanish newspaper Sunday called the Paraguay win “historic.” One of the headlines in sports daily Marca reads “All Life Dreaming Of A Day Like This!”

Radio station Cadena SER commented that “there are several generations of Spaniards for whom the national team has meant only frustration and disappointment. That might be finishing now.”

Most of the papers agree that it was the kind of match that Spain used to lose.

Under the headline “Blood, Sweat and Victory,” sports daily AS commented said that “Spain has finally learned how to win ugly matches, matches that go out of control and could go either way.”

All the papers carried photographs of Spain’s two heroes from Saturday: goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who brilliantly saved a penalty from Oscar Cardozo, and David Villa, who scored the winning goal just seven minutes from time.

Other players singled out for special praise are linkman Andres Iniesta - chosen as Man of the Match by FIFA - and midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who came off the bench and revitalized a team which looked sluggish and uninspired.

The newspapers agreed that La Roja did not play well.

ABC bemoaned the fact that “our tiqui-taqua (the name given to their slick passing game) did not work this time. The team was slow and without ideas, which is worrying.”

Another worrying factor is the poor condition of centre-forward Fernando Torres. The Liverpool striker still does not look fit and — the same as against Portugal in the Round of 16 - the Spanish attack only improved when he was taken off.

The papers all have photos of the euphoric celebrations that took place in every Spanish city, town and village after the tempestuous match.

Madrid paper El Mundo commented that “the celebrations were similar to those of two years ago,” when Spain beat Germany in the final of Euro 2008.

Spain now face Germany again, in the semi-finals Wednesday. The papers all quote the words of manager Vicente del Bosque, who said Saturday: “if we beat Germany in 2008 then why should we not beat them again?”