The decisive kick, Spain's fifth, was executed perfectly by Cesc Fabregas, the Barcelona midfielder guiding the ball low and to the left, where it struck the base of the post and rolled behind the line into the opposite side netting. With that, the Spain of Iker Casillas, Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta became only the second team in history to reach three successive finals.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who remains joint-top goalscorer in this tournament, did not get to strike his penalty. The Real Madrid striker was last in line for Portugal, but when Bruno Alves struck the crossbar with their fourth kick he gave Fabregas the chance to render the world's most expensive footballer an irrelevance in the shoot-out.
After both teams had seen their first penalties saved, Alves had marched to the spot for his team's third kick, only for Nani to catch up with him and inform him that this was his turn. When he got there again, he missed by inches that decided the identity of the first finalist at Euro 2012.
The Spain players collapsed in a celebratory mob. The Portuguese wandered the pitch like ghosts and Ronaldo, who had another big game, especially in a first half dominated by Portugal, could scarcely believe he had been denied the opportunity to influence its outcome at the end.
Ronaldo had also failed to find the target with three free-kicks and missed with a decent chance in extra time.
At the other end, Rui Patricio, the Portugal goalkeeper, made superb saves to deny Jesus Navas and Andres Iniesta in extra-time.
After Alvaro Arbeloa and Iniesta shot over the bar in the early exchanges, Portugal took control of the first half. They threatened in the 13th minute through Ronaldo, who beat Gerard Pique down the left before crossing towards Nani, with Iker Casillas jumping to make a crucial interception.
Joao Moutinho's persistence then set free Ronaldo to drill a low shot just wide of Casillas' post. After the break, Nani almost picked out Hugo Almeida from a dangerous cross, and Vicente Del Bosque quickly replaced Negredo with Fabregas.
Almeida wasted a good chance in the 58th minute when he fired over the bar instead of picking out Ronaldo or Nani, who were unmarked either side of him.
Belatedly, Spain increased their tempo, Xavi drilling a shot straight at Patricio from long range, but despite beginning to edge possession, chances continued to be few and far between for the champions. Then came a glorious chance for Ronaldo in the last minute of normal time, when a Portuguese counter-attack saw Raul Meireles feed the Real Madrid man, who fired over the bar from the left side of the box.
The introduction of Pedro lent some urgency to the Spain attack in extra-time, and his run set up a chance for Iniesta in the seventh minute of that period, but his low shot was blocked in the box.
The Portuguese were plainly tiring, and Spain had an even better chance in the 104th minute, when Jordi Alba found Iniesta in front of goal. The Barcelona man opened his stance to guide a volley across the goalkeeper, but Patricio reacted incredibly to keep it out.
Sergio Ramos slammed a long-range free-kick just over the bar before the end of the first period of extra-time, and Ramos was soon in critical action at the other end, cutting out a Fabio Coentrao ball meant for Ronaldo.
Navas was next up, picking up a ball from Arbeloa and hitting a shot which Patricio did well to save down low.
Spain were in control as extra time continued, Pedro briefly bursting clear before being caught by Coentrao, but by then there was a certain inevitability about the impending shoot-out.
It started with saves by Patricio from Alonso and Casillas from Moutinho. After a Pirlo-esque chip from Ramos, it was ended by Alves' indiscretion and a historic shot from Fabregas.
SPAIN, the world and European champions, have the chance to become the first national team to win a hat trick of tournaments after they overcame Portugal on penalties.
The decisive kick, Spain's fifth, was executed perfectly by Cesc Fabregas, the Barcelona midfielder guiding the ball low and to the left, where it struck the base of the post and rolled behind the line into the opposite side netting. With that, the Spain of Iker Casillas, Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta became only the second team in history to reach three successive finals.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who remains joint-top goalscorer in this tournament, did not get to strike his penalty. The Real Madrid striker was last in line for Portugal, but when Bruno Alves struck the crossbar with their fourth kick he gave Fabregas the chance to render the world's most expensive footballer an irrelevance in the shoot-out.
After both teams had seen their first penalties saved, Alves had marched to the spot for his team's third kick, only for Nani to catch up with him and inform him that this was his turn. When he got there again, he missed by inches that decided the identity of the first finalist at Euro 2012.
The Spain players collapsed in a celebratory mob. The Portuguese wandered the pitch like ghosts and Ronaldo, who had another big game, especially in a first half dominated by Portugal, could scarcely believe he had been denied the opportunity to influence its outcome at the end.
Ronaldo had also failed to find the target with three free-kicks and missed with a decent chance in extra time.
At the other end, Rui Patricio, the Portugal goalkeeper, made superb saves to deny Jesus Navas and Andres Iniesta in extra-time.
After Alvaro Arbeloa and Iniesta shot over the bar in the early exchanges, Portugal took control of the first half. They threatened in the 13th minute through Ronaldo, who beat Gerard Pique down the left before crossing towards Nani, with Iker Casillas jumping to make a crucial interception.
Joao Moutinho's persistence then set free Ronaldo to drill a low shot just wide of Casillas' post. After the break, Nani almost picked out Hugo Almeida from a dangerous cross, and Vicente Del Bosque quickly replaced Negredo with Fabregas.
Almeida wasted a good chance in the 58th minute when he fired over the bar instead of picking out Ronaldo or Nani, who were unmarked either side of him.
Belatedly, Spain increased their tempo, Xavi drilling a shot straight at Patricio from long range, but despite beginning to edge possession, chances continued to be few and far between for the champions. Then came a glorious chance for Ronaldo in the last minute of normal time, when a Portuguese counter-attack saw Raul Meireles feed the Real Madrid man, who fired over the bar from the left side of the box.
The introduction of Pedro lent some urgency to the Spain attack in extra-time, and his run set up a chance for Iniesta in the seventh minute of that period, but his low shot was blocked in the box.
The Portuguese were plainly tiring, and Spain had an even better chance in the 104th minute, when Jordi Alba found Iniesta in front of goal. The Barcelona man opened his stance to guide a volley across the goalkeeper, but Patricio reacted incredibly to keep it out.
Sergio Ramos slammed a long-range free-kick just over the bar before the end of the first period of extra-time, and Ramos was soon in critical action at the other end, cutting out a Fabio Coentrao ball meant for Ronaldo.
Navas was next up, picking up a ball from Arbeloa and hitting a shot which Patricio did well to save down low.
Spain were in control as extra time continued, Pedro briefly bursting clear before being caught by Coentrao, but by then there was a certain inevitability about the impending shoot-out.
It started with saves by Patricio from Alonso and Casillas from Moutinho. After a Pirlo-esque chip from Ramos, it was ended by Alves' indiscretion and a historic shot from Fabregas.
PORTUGAL 0 SPAIN 0 Holders progress to final after shootout, writes Steve Nailor
