Fabregas seals win for Spain from the spot

Hiddink masterminds Russian victory

Ince lands Blackburn job

Motherwell honour O’Donnell

Mexico and US win in World Cup Qualifiers

Spain reached the last four of Euro 2008 after a penalty shoot-out victory over world champions Italy at the Ernst-Happel Stadium.

Iker Casillas saved spot-kicks from Daniele De Rossi and Antonio Di Natale after a goalless match before Cesc Fabregas slid the winning penalty past Gianluigi Buffon.

Luis Aragones’ men are the only team in the last four to have won all of their games in the tournament and now take on surprise package Russia on Thursday in Vienna.

Dmitri Torbinski and Andrei Arshavin scored in the second half of extra time as Russia powered into the semi-finals of Euro 2008 with a deserved victory over Holland in Basle.

Ruud van Nistelrooy had taken the match into the added period, cancelling out Roman Pavlyuchenko’s 56th-minute opener with a stooping header four minutes before the end of normal time.

But Russia’s energy levels proved decisive and after Torbinski had poked home a finish in the 112th minute, the lively Arshavin made Russia’s qualification safe with a third four minutes later.

Russia’s Dutch coach Guus Hiddink risks being public enemy number one in his homeland after pulling off his latest masterstroke to eliminate the team who were tournament favourites after emphatic wins over continental heavyweights Italy and France in the ‘Group of Death’.

Paul Ince became Blackburn Rovers manager over the weekend despite not holding a Uefa Pro Licence. Ince will be given two years to gain the licence.

Motherwell will further honour late captain Phil O’Donnell in a home match against Villarreal on 2 August. The main stand at Fir Park will be named after O’Donnell before kick-off and money will go to an educational trust for his four children. O’Donnell, 35, collapsed and died of heart failure during a match against Dundee United on 29 December.

In their last game before Sven-Goran Erikkson takes over Mexico slaughtered Belize 7-0 with Arce and Echavarria scoring a pair each.

USA completed an easy two legged win over Barbados with a 1-0 in Barbados to set up at 9-0 aggreagate win.

Kevin Taylor