By Paul Radford

June 30, Reuters


VIENNA (Reuters) - Spain turned the Euro 2008 final into a football fiesta on Sunday, playing a dazzling passing game as they deservedly swept away Germany with a 1-0 victory.

A brilliant 33rd-minute goal from striker Fernando Torres graced a magnificent final whose scoreline did not reflect the supremacy of the superb Spanish side.

The long overdue victory in a major tournament sent fans in Madrid and all over Spain pouring on to the streets where they prepared for night-long celebrations, waving red and yellow banners and singing "Viva Espana".

Germany, as everyone knew they would, fought hard in Vienna and occasionally threatened on the break but they could not match the silky skills and swift inter-passing of veteran coach Luis Aragones's team.

In the end, Spain had 13 shots on goal to Germany's four, and seven on target to Germany's one, statistics which better reflected the margin of the Iberian triumph.

Thousands of Spanish fans in the Ernst Happel stadium celebrated ecstatically as they watched Spanish captain and keeper Iker Casillas hold the European trophy aloft after receiving it from UEFA president Michel Platini.

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photo: Spain's Fernando Torres holds up the trophy after defeating Germany in their Euro 2008 final match at Ernst Happel stadium in Vienna, June 29, 2008 (REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach)