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Three for Villa as Russia crumble

10/06/2008

A David Villa hat-trick helped Spain to a 4-1 win against Russia in Innsbruck, getting their Euro 2008 campaign off to the best possible start.

The Valencia player gave his side a 2-0 advantage at half-time before completing his hat-trick, after which Cesc Fabregas cancelled out a Russian consolation goal by Roman Pavlyuchenko.

As a result Luis Aragones' side will be looking to get past their perennial habit of bottling it in big matches. Russia, meanwhile, will be looking for better against Greece and Sweden to ensure their progress from Group D.

A quiet opening period, in which the Russian players started promisingly with some effective passing, ended after 20 minutes with Villa's first strike. Fernando Torres beat Denis Kolodin on the edge of the box before slipping the ball to his right for Villa, who slotted it past Igor Akinfeev.

Shortly afterwards Spain were lucky when an effort from Konstantin Zyrianov hit the foot of the post. In the most exciting phase of the game Torres quickly had a chance at the other end but put his shot past the keeper.

The pace of the game dropped off a little for the remainder of the half, but further Russian mistakes in the 45th minute ended neutrals' hopes the match might remain competitive in the second half.

Russia lost the ball from a short corner. The eventual cross was overhit, allowing Spain to advance on the break and Andres Iniesta to get over the halfway line. He went first one way and then the next before putting the ball through to Villa, who finished on the turn in yet another counterattacking goal for the tournament.

Given the regularity of Russia's mistakes it seemed Villa's hat-trick was inevitable. He had opportunities on 57 minutes, when a low shot from 20 yards was saved, and on 65 minutes when Aleksandr Anyukov's sliding interception denied him the ball.

But ten minutes later the hat-trick was secured. After receiving a perfectly-placed Fabregas pass Villa twice pulled it back before deliberately finishing past the keeper at the near post.

Russian resolve appeared to be crumbling in the final 15 minutes, but that did not stop Pavlyuchenko grabbing the first goal of the tournament by a losing side. His stooping header off a corner kick gave Iker Casillas no chance.

Spain seemed rejuvenated and found an opportunity to end the game on their terms in its dying minutes. Villa found himself on his own and had to wait for Fabregas and Xavi Hernandez to come up before passing to the latter on the right. He then switched the ball to Fabregas, who made no mistake in putting himself on the scoresheet to secure Spain a convincing opening win.