They think it's all over: There was no way back for Ireland after David Silva made it 2-0

Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso picked up the ball on halfway line and danced round Robbie Keane and Cox as if they were  invisible. His piercing through ball to Silva set the
Manchester City man up for a shot at the edge of Shay Given’s area that Richard Dunne prevented with a superbly-timed sliding tackle.

But Torres, recalled to the  Spanish side by del Bosque, was quicker than anyone in green to pick up the loose ball, and as Dunne got to his feet and kicked fresh air, the Chelsea striker ghosted past Stephen Ward with one deft touch and smashed the ball into the roof of Given’s net with the searing  accuracy which was his trademark in the red of Liverpool. It was his 29th goal in 95 games for Spain.

Del Bosque had his main striker back — dropping Fabregas from the 4-6-0 he had used at the weekend — and Spain were in the mood to inflict more pain.

In a constant downpour, the chances piled up. Torres whipped a shot narrowly wide from
Alvaro Arbeloa’s cross, Gerard Pique tested Given’s fitness with a  stinging shot from distance and Alonso volleyed a Given clearance wide and put a second shot from way outside the area off target.

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