SPAIN 1-0 PORTUGAL

Here's the deal: I've fallen seriously behind. Blog-wise.

I'm sitting down to write about a game that I watched an entire week ago. A week is a long time in football. Just ask Carlos Tevez - six days before getting dumped out of the World Cup he was scoring two against Mexico.

I've actually just watched the first semi-final, so I'm now attempting to write about Spain and Portugal while all I can think about is: why on Earth was Clive Tyldesley alone in the commentary box this evening? What happened to Jim Beglin? Food poisoning?

All I can really say about Spain-Portugal is that the furthest East of these two Iberian nations have now been adopted as the team I would like to see win in the wake of England's exit. They are following in the footsteps of Mexico and Japan.

Spain are the first of these teams to win a match after taking refuge under my wing.

And another thing: when did Gerard Pique get so good?



THE STORY SO FAR

Match of the tournament: Slovakia 3-2 Italy

Player of the tournament: David Villa (Spain)

Goal of the tournament: Tevez (Argentina v Mexico) - [2nd goal]