VIENNA, Austria — A big-game flop no more, Spain won the European Championship, 1-0 over Germany on Sunday for its first major soccer title in 44 years.
Fernando Torres scored in the 33rd minute, and the Spaniards never backed down against such a formidable opponent. Their last significant title came in the 1964 Euros at home.
In beating a team that makes a habit of appearing in championship finals, the Spaniards put to rest a reputation for underachieving. Always loaded with talented players, Spain has spent four decades falling short of expectations.
That all changed at these Euros, where the Spaniards swept their first-round games, eliminated World Cup champion Italy in a penalty-kicks shootout in the quarterfinals, then routed Russia 3-0 in the semifinals.
Germany has won three Euros and three World Cups, but was no match in this final. Captain Michael Ballack, questionable before the game with a calf injury, started but hardly was noticeable — except when he left for several minutes to have a bloody right eye treated.
Spain has never made a World Cup final and was in one other Euros final, aside from the 1964 triumph. That was a loss to France in 1984.
• Luciano Emilio scored twice, Marcelo Gallardo had one goal, and Jaime Moreno converted a penalty kick as D.C. United won its fourth straight game, a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy before a season-high 35,979 at RFK Stadium.
Taurasi’s 25 points lead Mercury
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Diana Taurasi scored 25 points, leading the Phoenix Mercury to an 87-80 victory over the Connecticut Sun for its fifth win in six games.
• Kara Braxton scored a career- high 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds to help the Detroit Shock keep the visiting Atlanta Dream winless (0-15) with a 100-92 victory.
• Sue Bird had 14 points and seven assists to lead a balanced attack as the host Seattle Storm beat the Washington Mystics 64-49.
Marijuana arrest made
CLEVELAND — Authorities say a man with the same name and date of birth as Baltimore Ravens cornerback Derrick Martin was cited for drug abuse after he was found in possession of suspected marijuana at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
Martin, a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School, was a sixth- round draft pick in 2006 out of Wyoming.
Footnotes.
Steffen Peters took the national Grand Prix dressage championship and earned one of four Olympic berths by winning the freestyle event at the Olympic Dressage Trials.
Also earning spots on the team were Debbie McDonald, Courtney King and Leslie Morse.
• The Minnesota Wild traded the rights to forward Brian Rolston to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a conditional draft pick, which depends on whether Tampa Bay re-signs Rolston.
• The Edmonton Oilers acquired defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky from the Los Angeles Kings for forward Jarret Stoll and defenseman Matt Greene.
The Associated Press
