Spain v France - in pictures

The Donbass Arena is the venue of today's match and the big news is that following the big post-match dressing room barney after the Sweden game, Samir Nasri is starting on the bench. Again Spain don't have a recognised forward in their starting XI Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images There's plenty of passion eminating from the Spanish terraces ... Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images As well as from the French end Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images Six minutes in and the first chance of the game comes after Spain neglect their usual tiki-taka for an old fashioned long ball down the middle. As Cesc Fabregas chases the ball into the area there's a smidgeon of contact between him and Gael Clichy and both players tumble to the floor. Fabregas gets up and screeches for a penalty, but the ref is having none of it and waves play on Photograph: Michael Buholzer/Reuters Spain's Andres Iniesta goes on a run Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images Halfway through the first half Spain take the lead with a brilliantly simple goal. Iniesta lifts a lovely short pass down the left to set Jordi Alba free. Debuchy slips, allowing the Spaniard to scuttle into the area. He pulls a cross back to Xabi Alonso, 10 yards out, who heads the cleverest of finishes down and back across Lloris, into the left-hand side of the net Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images This view give you an idea of exactly how much time and space Xabi Alonso had to guide his header home Photograph: Jasper Juinen/Getty Images He's got every reason to look pleased with himself, it was a fantastically taken header full of power and precision Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images Midway through the first half Karim Benzema is felled thirty yards out. He gets up, steadies himself, steps up to take the resulting free-kick and then blasts the ball into Row Z. Very poor, very poor indeed. Just five minutes later Yohan Cabaye shows Benzema how it's done when he fires his free-kick towards the top corner and it's only a great leaping save by Iker Casillas that keeps the Spanish goal intact Photograph: Tolga Bozoglu/EPA The Spanish keeper is called into action again a few minutes later when he has to dive and gather the ball amidst a mass of boots Photograph: Charles Platiau/Reuters The French are finding it hard to break down an organised Spanish side, it's frustrating stuff for Les Bleus. Half-time score Spain 1-0 France Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images It wasn't just Ribery who felt the frustration - the Spanish tiki-taka and lack of French ambition meant that the fans have to get a mexican wave on the go in order to give them something to get excited about Photograph: Damien Meyer/AFP/Getty Images France start the second half the brighter of the two teams, with Ribery instrumental in the couple of half-chances the French conjure up Photograph: Vasily Fedosenko/Reuters Spain shake themselves out of their slumber and Xavi rolls a pass straight down the middle for Fabregas to chase. Lloris manages to snuff out the chance Photograph: Vasily Fedosenko/Reuters After 67 minutes Spain finally put a recognised forward on the pitch when Fernando Torres replaces Fabregas Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images Within minutes of coming on Torres finds himself bearing down on Lloris. Again the French goalkeeper is out quickly and uses his face to block the ball - that must have smarted. If Torres had managed to dink it over Lloris the goal wouldn't have stood as the Spanish forward was offside Photograph: Jeff Pachoud/AFP/Getty Images As the second half becomes all about passing and not about penetration a cacophony of slow hand claps reverberates around the Donbass Photograph: Jasper Juinen/Getty Images On the hour mark Ribery dances down the left then loops a ball into the box ... Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images Where Mathieu Debuchy rises to meet the cross but his header drifts inches over the bar Photograph: Patrick Hertzog/AFP/Getty Images The Spanish use numbers to quell any French attacks Photograph: Jasper Juinen/Getty Images A rare French attack but, alas for Les Bleus, again it comes to nothing Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images In the last minute Pedro twists and turns into the French penalty area, he's heading towards the goal when Anthony Reveillere sticks out a right foot and clips the Spaniard. The ref points to the spot Photograph: Henry Browne/Action Images Xabi Alonso, who's winning his 100th cap tonight, sends the keeper the wrong way for his second goal of the night Photograph: Martin Rose/Getty Images So it's Spain, who weren't in top gear tonight, that go through to face their Iberian rivals Portugual in the semi-finals Photograph: Martin Rose/Getty Images For the French fans it's hard to guess what would be more disappointing - the fact that it's the first time that France have lost to Spain, or the manner in which they lost, they were appalling. As the teams left the pitch Franck Ribery seemed to be the only French player who was really disappointed that they had lost. It'll be interesting to see if there's any dressing room hoo-hah later on. Final score Spain 2-0 France Photograph: Ivan Sekretarev/AP