England through after penalty shoot-out

LONDON (Reuter): England beat Spain 4-2 on penalties at Wembley yesterday to go through to the Euro 96 semifinals.

Fernando Hierro and Miguel Angel Nadal missed from the spot to condemn Spain to defeat after the quarter-final ended 0-0 following extra time.

The dramatic finale resolved a match in which Spain was largely dominant but failed to make the most of its chances, while England played with its greatest conviction in the second half.

The Spanish twice had the ball in the net in the opening 45 minutes, only for Kiko Narvaez to be ruled offside in the 22nd minute and Julio Salinas 11 minutes later.

England could not find the finishing touch in the second half while its goalkeeper David Seaman played a significant role in frustrating the Spanish attacks.

The pattern remained the same through extra time, with Spain frequently being let down by its final pass.

During regular time, Sergi Barjuan caused early problems for the England defense with his forays down the left in England's half.

He combined neatly with Kiko Narvaez and England was content to concede a corner, then he sent in a cross into the box from the left but none of his colleagues could meet it.

In the 15th minute it was Sergi down the left again, this time unleashing a shot which hit the side netting.

Kiko found the net in the 22nd minute but the linesman ruled him offside.

England came very close on the half hour when Paul Gascoigne hoisted a free-kick into the Spanish box. Adams outjumped everyone to head goalwards but Zubizarreta just managed to tip it over for a corner.

Julio Salinas fired the ball into the England net in the 34th minute but again Spain was denied for offside.

Spain, unbeaten since the 1994 World Cup, was looking the more menacing. But it had a second player booked in the 41st minute, Belsue receiving the yellow card for a foul on Pearce.

A minute later Spain pierced the England defense again, a long through-ball finding Javier Manjarin. But quick-thinking Seaman, in outstanding form in Euro 96, rushed out of his area and cleared the danger.

England's most telling threat came from McManaman whenever he found space on the right.

England defender Gary Neville was booked in the 48th minute for a foul on Sergi. It was Neville's second booking of the tournament and puts him out of England's next game.

Three minutes later Alfonso became the third Spanish player to be shown the yellow card.

Alfonso, racing in at the corner of the England area, went flying over Gascoigne's tackle and was booked for diving.

England broke back downfield, with McManaman in the thick of the attack and sending a tantalizing cross across the face of the goal.

In the 58th minute, with England buzzing, Neville took a throw-in from the right which eventually fell to Anderton who headed the ball into the goalmouth to Sheringham. But Sheringham could not get in an effective shot from close range.

England continued to press. Anderton squeezed over a shot from the left which shaved the flew narrowly outside the far post.

McManaman broke dangerously on an England counter-attack in the 73rd minute and fed a pass to Gascoigne who jinked inside a defender and sent in a cross from the left which Shearer scooped just over the bar.

Spain made its third substitution a minute later, bringing on Juan Manuel Lopez for Rafael Alkorta.

Gareth Southgate rescued England with a timely tackle five minutes from the end and then Seaman saved well from Kiko in the 88th minute, following up with a block against the same player just before the whistle.

Yellow cards: England: Gary Neville (48) Spain: Fernandez Abelardo (1), Alberto Belsue (41), Alfonso Perez (51)

Teams:

England: David Seaman; Gary Neville, Tony Adams, Gareth Southgate, Stuart Pearce, David Platt, Paul Gascoigne, Darren Anderton (Robbie Fowler 109), Steve McManaman (Nick Barmby 109), Teddy Sheringham (Steve Stone 109), Alan Shearer.

Spain: Andoni Zubizarreta, Alberto Belsue, Rafael Alkorta (Juan Lopez 74), Fernandez Abelardo, Sergi Barjuan, Fernando Hierro, Miguel Angel Nadal, Guillermo Amor, Javier Manjarin (Jose Luis Caminero 46), Kiko Narvaez, Julio Salinas (Alfonso Perez 46).

Referee: Marc Batta (France).