Navas rescues Spain, sends Croats out

Defending champions Spain are tim tebow elite jersey within the quarter-finals of UEFA EURO 2012 after substitute Jesus Navas hit a late winner of their nervy 1-0 victory over Croatia, who bowed out. Spain become qualified as Group C winners and definately will now play their quarter-final in Donetsk, Ukraine, on Saturday against the Group D runner-up, while Italy finish second caused by their 2-0 conquer Ireland in Poznan. Having come on for Chelsea star Fernando Torres during the second-half, Sevilla's Navas hit the 88th-minute winner after Barcelona's Xavi Hernandez chipped the Croatian defence and Andres Iniesta provided the ultimate pass. It was obviously a difficult game for folks, we had increased percentage of ball possession and we all proved you can control a game, said Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque. We were fighting for just a victory, not a draw and now we have taken a stride forward here by qualifying, this can be motivation for those quarter-finals. The team played well, regardless that things didn't go according to plan, the coach added. We have zero preference whether it be France, England or Ukraine, we've got to be ready to take whatever comes. The defending FIFA World Cup? winners top the group with seven points after their opening draw with Italy and 4-0 rout of Ireland, while there were only heartbreak for Slaven Bilic's Croatia. Spain coach Vicente del Bosque named an Dwight Lowery Jersey unchanged team, while Bilic abandoned the 4-4-2 formation he employed in the opening conquer the Republic of Ireland plus the draw with Italy to have a 4-2-3-1 formation. Because they had done in Thursday's hammering of your Irish, Spain started with almost 80 percent possession, which never dropped below 60, as Croatia seemed content going to long balls down to lone striker Mario Mandzukic. For the rare early forage to the Spanish half, Bayern Munich's Danijel Pranjic fired a photograph to the left of Spain goalkeeper Ilker Casillas, who controlled the left-footed strike comfortably on 25 minutes. Croatia defender Vedran Corluka was booked for dissent once as German referee Wolfgang Stark chose to not award a problem appeal after Spain's Sergio Ramos sliding tackle caught Mandzukic's ankle. It remained goalless from the break and news of Italy's lead contrary to the Irish raised the strain inside the Gdansk stadium noticeably while the second half wore on. Croatia's best chance came approaching the hour mark when Tottenham Hotspur's Luka Modric crossed in for Ivan Rakitic's header, but Casillas parried away the most beautiful chance of the sport. After a fairly ineffective first 60 minutes, Torres made way for Jesus Navas within the three-man forward line, but them squandered chances. In time almost up, the Aaron Hernandez Jersey decisive blow came when Xavi Hernandez floated his pass covering the defence for his Barcelona team-mate Iniesta to attract Croatia's goalkeeper Stipe Pleitkosa and put Spain throughout the last eight. 06.19.2012
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