Defending champions Greece exited Euro 2008 without scoring a single point as they went down 1-2 to Group D winners Spain. Second half goals from Ruben De La Red and Daniel Guiza saw Spain’s reserves carve out a 2-1 win after Angelos Charisteas had given Greece the lead in the 42^nd minute.

Greece were in danger of becoming the first defending champions to exit the tournament without scoring a goal, but Charisteas’ header from a Giorgios Karagounis free kick spared them that ignominy. Spain made ten changes, with Andres Iniesta being the only player on the pitch from the previous two group games that Spain won. Xabi Alonso was extremely good in the centre of the park, and the Liverpool midfielder threatened to score in the 23^rd minute with an audacious shot from within his own half. Fortunately for the Greeks, the shot was wide. Charisteas brought back memories of Euro 2004 when he headed past Pepe Reina from a set piece, and Greece led 1-0 at half time.

Spain continued to work hard, and were rewarded for their efforts when Ruben De La Red blasted one past Nikopolidis. The veteran keeper, for whom it was his last international game, got a hand to the shot, but could not stop it from going in. With Spain exerting more and more pressure, the Greeks retreated further and further, and were punished when Daniel Guiza found the back of the net from a Sergio Garcia cross three minutes from time. This was Spain’s ninth win in a row, and beat the record set by Javier Clemente’s team a decade ago.

Spain now face Italy in the last eight, and this campaign is already drawing parallels to their Germany 2006 one. Then Spain beat Ukraine 4-0, beat Tunisia 3-1, and fielded a reserve team that saw off Saudi Arabia 1-0. Surprisingly, they lost to an ageing France 1-3 in the last eight, and Luis Aragones will pray that his side should not meet the same fate against the wily Italians.