Preamble Good evening everyone. It's been a wonderful tournament so far; let's hope this semi-final lives up to its billing. During the last few days everyone has been raving about Andrei Arshavin but in my view Roman Pavlyuchenko is just as important for Russia. Throughout this tournament, the striker with a bowl-cut straight out of Hull circa 1986 has lead the line superbly, made perceptive runs, found excellent scoring positions ... and squandered more opportunities than a boy who's been expelled from Eton, Harrow and every other fee-paying school in the land. True he's scored three goals in four games, but he could have had eight or nine. Spain, meanwhile, started Euro 2008 brilliantly by thrashing Russia 4-1, but have rather ground out results since. They badly need David Villa and Fernando Torres to click again.

Teams

Russia 1-Igor Akinfeev; 22-Aleksandr Anyukov, 2-Vasili Berezutski, 4-Sergei Ignashevich, 18-Yuri Zhirkov; 17-Konstantin Zyryanov, 11-Sergei Semak, 20-Igor Semshov, 9-Ivan Saenko; 10-Andrei Arshavin, 19-Roman Pavlyuchenko

Spain 1-Iker Casillas; 15-Sergio Ramos, 5-Carles Puyol, 4-Carlos Marchena, 11-Joan Capdevila; 19-Marcos Senna; 6-Andres Iniesta, 8-Xavi, 21-David Silva; 7-David Villa, 9-Fernando Torres

A question ... Why has this tournament been so good? I was thinking of commissioning/writing a blog on this, but let's throw it to the floor. A few tentative answers to get the ball rolling: first, here in England we've become conditioned by the Premier League to expect predictability; the same teams always winning, shocks being rare, 4-5-1 being prevalent. But Euro 2008 hasn't been like that at all. Because the difference in quality has been relatively small (Austria and Switzerland apart), most teams have gone for it. That's lead to more goals (because the weaker team isn't sitting back to sneak a draw). Plenty of mistakes, plenty of goals, a few surprise = a great tournament. And for the floating fan, low expectations to begin with (because England weren't in it) and the thrill of the new (discovering the likes of Arshavin and the Turkish players not playing in the Premier League probably helped too). That sound fair?

The national anthems Spain's skips along jauntily, in a faintly juntaesque way, while the Russian national anthem has enough testosterone to put hairs on any teen's chest. Is there a more stirring national anthem in the world?

1 min We're off. Meanwhile your emails are flooding in, most of them remarking on the similarity between myself and Philipp Lahm. "I am amazed you have recovered from your celebrations after scoring the winning goal for Germany last night," chuckles George Templeton. "I am sure the parties lasted long into the evening and for you to be back doing an MBM for your next opponents show great dedication."

2 min Arshavin has his first touch. He dukes inside before finding Pavlyuchenko, who promptly loses it. By the way I've backed 0-1 goals at 5-2, which I think is an amazing price for a semi-final. I hope I'm wrong, by the way.

4 min Nice work from Torres wins Spain a corner. It's cleared, but Spain continue the pressure and Xavi's cross misses Sergio Ramos by this much.

6 min A typically rampaging run by Ramos ends with a sliding tackle by Berezutski. It's all Spain right now. "Why is the tournament so good?" asks Gary Naylor before providing an answer. "Prosaically, the goalkeepers are terrible and the referees are good, but mainly because we've forgotten that tournaments are often really good. The narrative moves forward daily, new stars are born, there's no time for tedious hype and every match counts. (If Russia aren't inspired by that anthem, they are made of clay - at the end, I stood up and cheered!)".

8 min Chance for Torres! Villa, on the edge of the box, feeds it to his striking partner, who does a 180-turn on the six-yard box and shoots. Akinfeev slides out to block but Torres probably should have scored.

10 min It's lashing with rain by the way, and thunderstorms are rumbling in the distance. If the TV signal goes again, as it did last night, are than any Swiss readers on hand to file minute-by-minute updates?

11 min Anyukov speeds down the left, but his grasscutter cross is easily saved by Casillas. "I'd say the reason this tournament - or any international tournament - is so different to Premier League action is because there's no major money involved," offers Jacob Steinberg. "None of the teams can suffer relegation, only footballing ridicule. Not the case in club football, where teams are terrified of entering into financial ruin." True - but then why was Euro 2004 so poor? Another interesting thing about this tournament is that, of the knockout games so far, three out of five have been great - when was the last time that was the case at a World Cup? Usually the knockout stages is a cue for teams to play defensively.

12 min Shot from 20 yards from Villa! It's at a comfortable height for Akinfeev, who palms it away.

13 min A Russian corner lands on the chest of Fernando Torres who exhales it back to Casillas. It's a good game so far.

14 min It's absolutely tipping down now. "I wonder how much of Euro 2008 is simply a demographic accident; the young breakout stars seem to be disproportionately attacking players, while the fading veterans have been mostly on the defensive side," says Nathaniel Goggin. "Teams that have exploited the resulting imbalance between offence and defence have fared much better than teams that have tried to rely on a brick wall at the back and a few well-timed counter-attacks."

15 min A polite penalty appeal from Torres, who falls under pressure from Ignashevich. However referee Frank De Bleeckers rules that the Spanish striker used his elbow before tumbling over.

16 min Arshavin wins a free-kick, 30 yards out. Pavlyuchenko steps up ...

17 min ... and smashes it over the bar. "I agree with your analysis, but the question that needs to be answered is why 'most teams have gone for it,' says Mike Murphy. "I suspect that the absence of a team or teams with an excellent defense has played a role in this. Italy's defense was weakened by injury, Greece could not replicate their mind-numbing tactics of 2004, and other teams like Holland were not expected to display their defensive prowess. The tactical approach of the current group of managers may also have played a role. It is clear that Hiddink, Van Basten and Low have encouraged attacking football. And there was no McClaren."

19 min Superb from Arshavin, who steps away from Senna and gets to the edge of the Spanish box before being snuffed out. On ITV Clive Tyldsley reckons "Arshavin has great strength for a small guy". Well, if he can't witter on about Peter Crouch having a "good touch for a big guy" ...

22 min Spain had the better of the opening 15 minutes, but Russia have got their foot on the ball and are playing their way back into this. They win a corner but Puyol clears.

23 min It's flooding it down in Vienna now. My TV is grainy, as if it's had the aerial half pulled out, but it's just the stormy conditions.

25 min Sergio Ramos's cross is double-fisted away by Akinfeev. Saenko then barges into Marchena, prompting the referee to waggle his finger at both of them.

27 min Iniesta finds some luck when the ball bounces on his back and then lands on his right foot, wriggles to create half a yard and then fresh-airs his shot like a once-a-year golfer on the first tee. "It's a shame the Welsh can't get their act together as Land of My Fathers is definitely up there with the Russian national anthem," reckons Rene Pogel.

29 min Spain continue to press. Silva lets the ball run across his body and has a decent shooting chance, 30 yards out, but then is hacked down by Zyryanov. It should have been a yellow card, but at least Spain have a free-kick in a dangerous position ...

30 min ... but Villa's shot goes one bounce into Afinkeev's chest. Immediately Russia launch a stirring counterattack but the final ball to Pavlyuchenko is overcooked.

32 min After Russia work the ball nicely around the edge of Spain's area, Pavlyuchenko tries a Whelan-in-the-Milk-Cup-of-1983 curler that Casillas tips round the post. It was going wide, but it was still a good save. The referee gave a goal-kick, however.

33 min Fabregas is warming up, though it'd be big surprise if he came on so early - although David Villa is looking dazed and receiving treatment.

34 min Spain sub: Villa, who seems to have injured his calf taking that free-kick a few minutes ago, off. Fabregas on.

36 min Best chance of the night so far for Pavlychenko! A Russia free-kick from just inside the halfway line lands evades a Spanish defender and land at Pavlychenko's feet about eight yards out, but he squirms his shot just wide.

37 min Interesting decision by Aragones - who has decided to play Fabregas as a second striker.

38 min "It has been a great tournament," agrees Howard Davies. "The only thing missing for true greatness however has been that comical touch that comes each time England figure out a new way to completely discombobulate themselves as they crash out. The English officials in the past have also done work that has been more entertaining."

39 min Superb football from Spain: Fabregas drifts inside before floating a rescue-club chip towards Torres, who flicks it over his head before testing Afinkeev with a skimmer.

41 min Fabregas and Torres are linking up really nicely here: Torres again finds space behind Zhirkov, who as usual has charged upfield, but Berezutski makes a smart covering tackle.

42 min This game might be goalless, but it's been enjoyable. Both teams are certainly going for it. "After hearing the Russian national anthem I yearned to live in a nationalistic kleptocratic country that pretends its a democracy. Oh wait a minute..." writes Glenn from Maryland USA.

44 min It's all Spain at the moment. Iniesta crafts some space down the right but Akinfeev makes a good take. Andrei Arshavin, for those of you who've asked, has had a poor game so far.

45 min Xavi's deep free-kick evades Torres and is taken by a hastily-retreating Akinfeev. We'll have one minute of added time.

45+1 min Peep peep! That's half-time. ITV's (and the Guardian's) David Pleat who, as about 150 of you have pointed out, claimed a touch by Pavlyuchenko had "shades of Teddy Sheddingham" about it reckons the first half was very even. I disagree: I think Spain had the edge in terms of possession and chances, and might have easily been ahead.

Half-time

46 min We're off again. Meanwhile Pete Etchells has an interesting theory. "I suspect part of the reason for the quality of the games may have had something to do with the weather, at least in the earlier part of the tournament where the rain seemed to be a constant," he says. "It is far easier to do 90/120 minutes of positive attacking/running when it is 20C and raining than the 35C temps we have seen at a lot of recent tournaments. Therefore teams have been less conscious of conserving their strength and limiting their forward movements."

47 min Spain immediately attack but Ramos's cross skips violently off the path and evades Torres in the box.

48 min There's a delay in play while Zyryanov gets treatment for a minor knock. "Really? This is the amazing Russian side that everyone is gushing over?" splutters Bobby Otter. "Sitting back and 'unleashing' a counter-attack filled with pace that sees them give the ball away 30 meters from goal? That's the amazing Russian side everyone at the Guardian has been in love with? Yuck. Give me the Dutch over whatever that was the Russians just did in the first half."

49 min Spain attack again, after Ramos overhits his cross they are hit with a ferocious counterattack. At one point it's 3 v 3, but Semshov's cross is too long.

Goal! Spain 1-0 Russia (Xavi 50) A lovely move sees the ball treaded from from Xavi to Torres to Iniesta, who looks up before playing it into Xavi's path. The midfielder makes no mistake and Spain are ahead!

51 min Spain continue to attack, and Torres nearly makes it two. From the angle of the penalty box he curls a shot just over the bar.

53 min A delay in play after Fabregas gets kicked in the teeth by Semak. "You say there have been more goals in this tournament. Well apparently there had been 69 goals until last night's game, compared to 74 in 2004 and 78 in 2000 at the same stage," says Harry Swift. "So why does it seem so good? I think there's been a lot of bad defending and goalkeeping, a few very good team performances, and a lot of dramatic moments - instant equalisers and last-gasp goals. And most of all, every team has been inconsistent, so even when we thought we knew how a match would turn out, we've been surprised." Fair points Harry, fair points.

55 min Spain are slicing the Russians open with the speed and machismo of an ER-room surgeon. Another intricate move ends when Iniesta just over-runs it.

56 min Russia sub: the disappointing Semshov off, every mbm commentator's nightmare, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov off.

57 min After Zhirkov sees yellow for a typically lusty challenge, Sychev comes on to replace Saenko.

59 min Spain are dominating possession, and their supporters are cockily ole-ole-oleing! every pass. "It's early days for oles," warns the Guardian's David Pleat.

61 min Yellow card for Bilyaletdinov for a raking, studs up challenge on, I think, Silva.

62 min More make-your-mouth drool football from Spain. Iniesta plays a superb pass over Zhirkov that Fabregas chips back only for Russia to clear. Then, seconds later, Torres fires a fizzer this wide.

63 min What a miss from Torres! Again Sergio Ramos rampages down the right, again he finds Torres. But the Spain striker doesn't seem sure whether to head or volley his cross and, from about eight yards, ends up kneeing it wide. Spain could be out of sight here.

64 min Sychev wins a free-kick about 30 yards out with what looks like a dive. Zhirkov is lining this one up ...

65 min ... but his lowish shot clatters into the wall. Meanwhile Paula Willow, my colleague Barry Glendenning's perennial stalker has emailed in. "My heart has been shattered into a million little pieces by that hunk of Aberdeen Angus that goes by the name of Barry Glendenning. What I need is a saucy little German full-back-alike to get over it. Know anyone that fits the bill?" I've heard my Barry called many things over the years, Paula, but a hunk of Aberdeen Angus?!

67 min Big appeal from Torres for a penalty, after he's played through by Fabregas. But referee Bleeckers looks at his linesman and says no. The replays show it was the correct decision: Zhirkov got ball before man.

69 min Spain have made a double substitution: Torres off, Guiza on and Xavi Hernandez off, Xabi Alonso on.

70 min Fabregas, who has played superbly since coming on, hits a thumper from 25-yards that Akinfeev tips over. Seconds later, Akinfeev punches away a Xabi Alonso shot.

72 min Spain might be still dominating, but I'm amazed that Aragones took Torres off: he was tearing the Russian defence apart with his intelligent runs and finding space with every attack. Strange, very strange. Will that decision come back to haunt Spain?

73 min Arshavin has been even more anonymous this half, since you ask.

Goal! Spain 2-0 Russia (Guiza 73) What do I know, eh? (Don't all answer at once) After a superb one-two with Fabregas, who cleverly dinks it over Ignashevich, Guiza chests it down and slots it over Akinfeev and into the back of the net. That's utterly deserved and surely Spain are home and hosed now?

76 min Spain are now playing 4-5-1, with Fabregas sitting much deeper. They're content to hang on to what they've got. "Re: Barry Glendenning. I think that 'hunk' of Aberdeen Angus is going to be in quite a foul mood now that his prediction of a Russia v Germany final is wheezing and coughing up bloody phlegm," suggests Richard Whittall. "Although in the this tournament, one never knows..." He's on three or more goals on this match Richard, he may yet be smiling ...

79 min Arshavin, who has had a shocker tonight, has a rare touch on the ball ... but his cross goes about 10 yards over Pavlyuchenko. Speaking of Arshavin, this from Oystein in Norway. "After all the hype, I'm kind of disappointed this new Maradona isn't playing. Or is he?"

80 min Touch-ole!-touch-ole!-touch-ole!-touch-ole! Spain are playing keepball and Russia can't get hold of it.

Goal! Spain 3-0 Russia (Silva 82) Superb goal from Spain. After a succession of 10, 20 perhaps even 30 passes, Iniesta scoops a lovely ball towards Fabregas on the left. The Spain midfielder looks up before sliding a eye-of-a-needle pass to Silva, who side-foots it brilliantly home.

85 min Russia trudge forward in the rain: slowly, predictably, vainly. "I hope the ink hasn't dried on that Arshavin - Barca contract, yet," chuckles Brian Cruickshank.

87 min Both sides are killing time here, waiting for the game to end. "I thought Torres was frankly having a poor game," says Angus Chisholm. "Sure he might have been getting in dangerous positions but that's only half the battle, he wasn't doing anything when he got in those positions. Fabregas, on the other hand, is some player. Spain seem to take it up a gear
whenever he takes the field in this tournament." Certainly agree about Fabregas, Angus. He was excellent against Italy and has been even better tonight. Guess we'll have to disagree about Torres ...

89 min According to Uefa's statistics, Casillas has just made his first save of the match. Arshavin's cross was met by Sychev's head, but the Spanish keeper got down well to block.

90 min We'll have two minutes of added time.

91 min Sychev shoots wide from a tight angle. Meanwhile Shawn Wathen writes: "As a neophyte to the world of international football (I actively only became a follower during the 2006 World Cup, which even I recognized as not the most scintillating football ever played) I have been riveted by Euro 2008. As I am a neo-Luddite, I have no TV, and thus rely on MBM while supposedly selling books to an illiterate American public (hence the time to read MBM). Never failing to laugh at the witty repartee, this tournament has been grand, and I do not care why. Since I begged my sister to tape the semis and final for me, I will hopefully see the visuals in retrospect after she pops the tape in the post."

Shawn Wathen

Full-time Peep! Peep! That's it. Spain were brilliant, Russia very disappointing. I'll leave the final word to Phillip Stott, who not unreasonably wonders "how the neophyte neo-luddite (91 min) will watch the tape with no telly…" Please join my colleague Scott Murray for the Spain v Germany final on Sunday. In the meantime, thanks for all your many, many emails - apologies I couldn't use them all. Best, Sean.