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Fernando Torres goes by Costinha in 2004. Mike Egerton/EMPICS Sport
Neighbours

Five past meetings between Spain and Portugal

Tonight’s Euro 2012 semi-final in Donetsk will be the 36th time the sides have faced off.

SINCE THE IBERIAN neighbours met in Portugal’s very first international fixture back in 1921, Spain have come out on top most frequently with a record of 17 wins, 12 draws and just six defeats.

The reigning world and European champions go into tonight’s semi-final as heavy favourites to reach the final in Kiev on Sunday but you only have to go back two years to find a Portuguese victory – when Helder Postiga’s brace helped them put 4 past Vincente Del Bosque’s side, albeit in a friendly.

We’ve picked out five memorable previous encounters to get you in the mood for later.

Portugal 1 Spain 1 – European championships 1984

Having both drawn their opening group games of Euro ’84, the teams met in Marseille’s Stade Velodrome. Antonio Sousa’s exquisite chip on 52 minutes was cancelled out by Real Madrid stirker Santillana’s scrambled equaliser. Despite dropping a further two points, they claimed wins in the next games to progress to the semi-finals and Spain were undone by the hosts France in the final.

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Spain 2 Portugal 2 – Friendly 1994

A friendly in Vigo ahead of the 1994 World Cup, which Spain had qualified for while Portugal missed out, ended all-square thanks to goals from Julio Salinas, Juanele, Oceano da Cruz and a Juanma Lopez own goal.

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Portugal 1-0 Spain – European championships 2004

Hosts Portugal met Spain in their third fixture at Euro 2004 and effectively sent them packing after Nuno Gomes came off the bench and snatched the only goal of the game in Lisbon. They went on to the final but famously fell victim to Greece.

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Spain 1 Portugal 0 – World Cup 2010

En route to winning their first World Cup, Spain were once again paired with Portugal in the second round and, like in all four of their knockout games in South Africa, record a 1-0 win. Golden Striker David Villa was the man who found the back of the net after a superb move involving Xav, Iniesta and Xabi Alonso.

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Portugal 4 Spain 0 – Friendly 2010

Just five months after that match, they took part in a friendly in the Estadio da Luz and the attacking play of Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani and Carlos Martins proved too much for a below-par Spain on the night.

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