Spain will play their first final in a major tournament in 24 years at the European football championship after demolishing a lacklustre Russia 3:0 in the second Euro 2008 semi-final on June 26.

Having put an end to a dry spell that lasted nearly nine decades by finally defeating Italy in the quarterfinal, Spain came into the game as slight favourites over Russia, who booked their place by knocking out the Dutch.

With fresh memories of the 4:1 thrashing suffered in the group stage, Russia started the game more cautiously, while their opponents sought an early goal to calm their nerves. Spain came close to getting that goal twice in the opening 10 minutes through Sergio Ramos and Fernando Torres.

The game gradually opened up, with Russia increasingly threatening Iker Casillas' goal despite the pelting rain over Vienna's Ernst Happel stadium, which made controlling the ball all the more difficult.

Someone must have forgotten to tell Spanish players that, however, as they strung pass after pass getting closer to Russian defenders, only to see the ball cleared every time. At the other end, Pavlyuchenko provided most of Russia's threat, with playmaker Andrei Arshavin ably shackled by Marcos Senna, playing in a deep-lying defensive midfielder role.

The game changed when Luis Aragones, the Spain manager, was forced to take off David Villa in the 34th minute and replaced him with Cesc Fabregas. Villa, still the tournament's top scorer after notching a hat-trick against Russia in the group stage, had apparently injured his calf taking a free kick several minutes later.

Thrust into the second striker position, Fabregas had an immediate impact, linking up on several occasions with Fernando Torres. The Liverpool striker could have easily scored a hat-trick himself on the night, always getting into dangerous positions, despite the tight marking of Sergei Ignashevich.

Spain finally got the opening goal their display so richly deserved shortly after the break, taking advantage of the first serious lapse in concentration from Russian defenders. Xavi Hernandez started the attack from deep, the ball finding its way to Andres Iniesta on the left wing, who crossed in the middle of the Russian penalty area into the path of the onrushing Xavi. Unmarked and with only goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev to beat, Xavi made no mistake.

Forced to pour forward in search of an equaliser, Russia started opening up gaps between the midfield and defensive lines, which Spain were able to exploit and Torres had three great chances in ten minutes to make Russia pay, but was just wide of the mark every time.

He was replaced in the 70th minute, along with goalscorer Xavi, with Dani Guiza and Xabi Alonso taking their place. It proved a tactical masterstroke from Aragones and paid off instantly, Guiza getting his name on the scoresheet three minutes later.

Having received the ball from Guiza at the edge of the Russian penalty area, Fabregas exquisitely chipped two defenders back to Guiza, who then lobbed it over Akinfeev with a half-volley.

Spain then put the result beyong any doubt eight minutes from time with a superb counter-attacking move. A long pass from Iniesta found Fabregas on the left wing and his cross, just outside Vasily Berezutzky's reach, was smashed by David Silva into the net, sending the substitute bench and thousands of fans in the stands into cloud nine.

The game effectively over, Spain dropped their intensity, which allowed their opponents one final attack, but Casillas produced a brilliant save from Dmitriy Sychev's header in the 89th minute, Russia's first and only shot on target for the entire match.

Undoubtedly the most star-studded squad of the tournament, Spain has gone a long way to shed the label of perennial underachievers, but to do so fully, they need to go all the way and beat Germany in the final in Vienna on June 29. On the evidence offered so far, they look more than capable.