CAPE TOWN // David Villa's golden streak continued last night with the goal that settled the Iberian tussle and put Spain into the quarter-finals. Villa has scored four of Spain's five goals in South Africa and, after being kept at bay by the heroics of Eduardo, the Portugal goalkeeper, for the first hour, he struck at the second attempt from Xavi's subtle pass On this form, Villa is a good shout to add the World Cup top-scorer crown to his Euro 2008 Golden Boot, as Spain set up a clash with Paraguay on Saturday.
This last-16 tie - between two of the world's top three ranked teams - would have been a fitting final. In 32 previous meetings, Spain had enjoyed the best record, with 15 wins to Portugal's five. The last of Portugal's victories, however, had come in the most recent encounter: a 1-0 win in Lisbon that helped eliminate Spain from the 2004 European Championship at the group stage. Spain, starting the game with no yellow cards, were the World Cup's cleanest team, while Portugal, with 22 clean sheets in their last 26 internationals, including three in the group stage, were its meanest.
Instantly finding their rhythm, Spain set about ending that record. In a move that started with Gerard Pique's back heel on the halfway line, precise Spanish passing ended with a goal-bound effort by Fernando Torres being brilliantly saved by Eduardo in the Portugal goal. Moments later, Villa, cutting in from the left, tested Eduardo again. A sensational turn and surge from Xavi, the Barcelona midfielder, ended with Eduardo saving Villa's near-post drive.
Iker Casillas could then only push Tiago's long-range effort skywards, but the Real Madrid stopper recovered, punching clear as an alert Hugo Almeida pounced for the loose ball. Portugal had clearly identified set-pieces as opportunities to ease the relentless Spanish pressure. A freezing Green Point Stadium waited 27 minutes for Cristiano Ronaldo's first free-kick. Casillas did well to get his hands one a dipping shot from his Real Madrid teammate, fumbling the ball for Pique to head clear.
Carles Puyol was lucky to escape a caution after crudely blocking a breaking Almeida, who then glanced wide from a Raul Meireles cross. With Portugal defensively resolute and Spain vainly prodding and probing, the second half started much like the first. Portugal seemed certain to take the lead in the 52nd minute when Almeida showed Joan Capdevila a clean pair of heels and escaped down the left. The Werder Bremen striker's cross ricocheted off Puyol and looped over Casillas, but a cruel bounce turned the ball away from the net.
With Almeida isolated and Ricardo Carvalho, the Chelsea defender, expertly shepherding Torres away from dangerous areas, the midfield battle hotted up. Torres made way for Fernando Llorente just before the hour mark as Vicente del Bosque freshened up his attack and the change almost paid instant dividends, with Eduardo clawing away the Athletic Bilbao striker's diving header. Spain were turning the screw and, after Villa sent a 25-yard shot inches wide of Eduardo's upright, they took the lead.
Andres Iniesta, slaloming his way past two men on the edge of box, flicked the ball to Xavi, who nudged it through to Villa. The striker's initial effort was saved by Eduardo, but he turned it in off the bar at the second attempt for his fourth goal of the tournament. A rampaging Sergio Ramos, the right-back always eager to get forward down the Spanish flank, almost doubled his team's advantage in the 70th minute as he cut inside and hit a left-foot shot that Eduardo tipped away.
Portugal threw bodies forward as they chased the game and Capdevila made a heroic block to deny Tiago. But Portugal's hopes ended when they lost Ricardo Costa - deemed to have elbowed Capdevila in the face. Television replays suggested contact was minimal. @Email:emegson@thenational.ae Man of the match: David Villa (Spain)