19.20 BST - Here we go again then. The Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna is the venue. Russia and Spain are the competitors. And a place in Sunday's final against Germany is the prize. Which is all very exciting, I'm sure you'll agree.
19.25 BST - The player that seemingly nobody can stop talking about the moment, the redoubtable Mr Andrei Arshavin, will lead the line for Russia, who have been the surprise package of this tournament, and they face Spain, who have been a surprise as well in so far as they usually find some way of messing up their chances before this stage. Will tonight be their mess up?
The Teams -
Russia: Akinfeev, Berezutski, Ignashevich, Saenko, Arshavin, Semak, Zyryanov, Zhirkov, Pavlyuchenko, Semshov, Anyukov.
Spain: Casillas, Marchena, Puyol, Iniesta, Villa, Xavi, Torres, Capdevila, Sergio Ramos, Senna, Silva.
19.30 BST - Not too may surprises in the line ups then. Spain line up as they have done for just about every game so far, while Russia make one change, Vasili Berezutski is in the defence in place of the suspended Denis Kolodin. And no, I'm not looking forward to typing too many of those Russian surnames.
19.35 BST - On the subject of Arshavin, it is always entertaining to see how the presenters try and get around his potentially rude-sounding name. Steve Rider, the ever-present ITV lead man, is going with "Ar-shar-van" which makes him sound like a woodland creature out of a CS Lewis novel.
19.40 BST - The players come out onto the pitch. The Spaniards refuse to sing along with their anthem. It has no words, you see! The crowd do a decent line in humming, mind. The Russians do sing theirs, the catchily titled "State Hymn of the Russian Federation".
19.45 BST - We're ready to go! Russia get the second semi-final underway.
2 mins - Quiet start here. Everyone has built this up as a potential classic, so it's probably got perfunctuary 1-0 win one way or the other written all over it. David Villa wins an early free kick under pressure from Zyryanov which comes to nothing.
4 mins - Spain, in a dashing yellow change kit, win a corner through Torres. Sergio Ramos tries an overhead kick that comes to nothing, and then Ramos has another half chance, nearly getting his head to a deep cross.
6 mins - All Spain so far. A decent ball from Silva sees Villa find Torres in the area, but he gets the ball rather stuck under his feet and his shot is naff.
9 mins - First bit of Russian attacking but Anyukov's eventual low cross is straight at Casillas in the Spanish goal. This is a quiet start, save the noise from the crowd.
11 mins - A long range snap shot from David Villa is fumbled away from Akinfeev. The storm from yesterday is back, apparently, so here but for the grace of God are the TV pictures.
15 mins - Oooh, Torres looks to be held back in the Russian penalty area, but the referee gives a free kick to the Russians. Questionable, that.
16 mins - Useful Russia free kick 20 yards out is fired over by Roman Pavlyuchenko, who for typing reasons will henceforth be known as "Pavvy".
19 mins - Not much to say, really. This opening period has been around 5000 times less good that the opening 20 minutes yesterday.
23 mins - Arshavin is on the pitch, I've just seen him. Russian corner taken short, nothing happening.
24 mins - Sergio Ramos has a volley from the right side of the pitch, easily saved by Akinfeev. A shot born of hope more than anything else. This is all very poor. The game needs a goal from somewhere to wake everyone up.
26 mins - Bit of handbags between Saenko and Marchena sorted out by the referee. Lordy, a shot of some of the biggest bolts of lightning I've ever seen from over the stadium. Scary stuff.
27 mins - Iniesta breaks in the Russian area, but he is surrounded by defenders and his shot is blocked.
The Elbow - "Sorry, I should really be contributing...not much to say though."
29 mins - Free kick for Spain, Villa hits it goalwards, but it bounces in front of Akinfeev and he gathers it up comfortably. Quick break from Russia, but the final ball is tellingly poor. "No yellow cards yet" says Clive Tyldesley, "Only mustard ones" replies David Pleat. I can't figure out what he's talking about.
31 mins - Finally a bit of good work from Arshavin, finding Pavvy on the edge of the area, who sees his shot curl agonisingly wide of the goal.
34 mins - David Villa is down on the pitch, looking like he has an injury of some sort. I'm now eating some BBQ chicken. This might get messy.
35 mins - And Villa is off! Big blow for Spain. Fabregas on in his place. Pavvy gets a decent bounce into the area, and shoots wide! Should be 1-0 Russia.
37 mins - Sergio Ramos marauds down the right side again, turning inside and shooting just wide of the near post. He's been a misfiring spark so far.
39 mins - Fabregas gets involved, floating the ball in to Torres, who controls well but shoots weakly again, easy stop for Akinfeev.
42 mins - Decent spell of passing from Russia, but it never looks like coming to anything. Ramos then breaks and finds Torres, who again controls the ball like he's got his Flubber boots on.
45 mins - Closing stages now. Spain have a free kick wide on the right, but in a move that sums up the first half, it is floated in and Akinfeev catches easily. One added minute to play. David Pleat is "sitting on the bench" apparently, while other people still undecided abut the outcome may prefer the fence.
Half Time - Russia 0 - 0 Spain
20.35 BST - That was rubbish.
The Elbow - "Save me from the pain"
20.40 BST - Really very little to say about that half. ITV's Andy "literally" Townsend is blaming the weather, and talking about "the danger zone". It's possible they've been watching Top Gun instead of the first half.
20.50 BST - Second half about to get underway, let's pray for something to happen.
47 mins - Oops. Zyryanov goes for a tumble and loses his boot. When one of the most interesting shots of the day is a bloke tying his shoelace, you know something has gone wrong.
GOAL! Russia 0 - 1 Spain (Xavi) - Something happened! Great work from Iniesta on the left of the penalty area, and he plays a lovely ball across for the late-arriving, unmarked Xavi to prod home.
51 mins - Is the game going to come to life now? Russia need to attack, and they win a corner, but it is easily cleared.
52 mins - More good work from Spain. They embark on a counter attack, and Fabregas lays it off to Torres, who teases a shot just over the bar.
54 mins - Russia are in danger of collapsing here, a through ball to Iniesta was just too long for the Spaniard, though he was offside either way.
57 mins - This won't help my typing out at all. The improbably-named Diniyar Bilyaletdinov is on for Russia, in place of Igor Semshov. Dmitri Sychev also comes on for Saenko.
60 mins - The Spanish fans are starting their "ole"s in the crowd, and Bilyaletdinov (Bily to his mates, and this terry) is booked already. The resulting free kick yields a break from Fabregas, who can't find a Spaniard with his cross.
62 mins - Another bit of skill down the right, and Torres fires wide. "He's like a tiger", according to David Pleat.
63 mins - Mercy me. Ramos, who has been great down the right, fires a lovely cross over, but Torres is caught in two minds and ends up chesting a lovely chance wide.
64 mins - Tyldesley has been calling Sychev by the name of Bystrov since he came on, which was confusing. A Zhirkov free kick goes straight into the Spanish wall. Poor.
66 mins - A patient Russian attack is broken up by Spain, and Torres looks like he'll be away, but he's forced off the ball. Pleat now says Torres is "like a matador". Make your mind up.
68 mins - Sychev sells Bily short, and Spain counter again, resulting in Torres being bundled over in the area again. Still nothing doing for Mr De Bleeckere. Good decision too, Zhirkov just got a toe to the ball. Xabi comes off for Xavi Alonso, and Torres is off too, after a poor game. Daniel Guiza on in his place. No subs left for Spain now.
70 mins - Fabregas stings the fingers of Akinfeev with a rasping long range drive. The corner comes to Alonso, who forces a punched save from the keeper. Are Spain going to live to regret wasting these chances?
72 mins - Guus Hiddink is looking frustrated on the touchline. He should be as well, Russia have bottled this awfully so far.
GOAL! Russia 0 - 2 Spain (Guiza) - Lovely goal. Silky stuff from the Spanish forwards sees Guiza latch onto a floated pass from Fabregas, and he lifts the ball over the onrushing Akinfeev. That should be enough, frankly.
75 mins - I will save The Elbows blushes by not publishing his comment that he though Guiza was offside, after replays show him clearly on. Erm, oops. Forget I said that.
77 mins - Arshavin, who has flopped badly tonight, has a through ball easily intercepted. Russia really don't look like a team chasing goals here.
80 mins - Arshavin lofts a pass beyond Pavvy, which is easily gathered by Casillas. I can't really remember the Spanish keeper making a save, certainly in this second half. Into the last ten minutes in Vienna.
GOAL! Russia 0 - 3 Spain (Silva) - Brilliant stuff to wrap up the game. Lovely lofted pass down the left flank from Iniesta releases Fabregas, who has been everywhere since he came on, and he threads the ball to David Silva in the area, who has the easiest of tap ins.
84 mins - Odd to think that Russia have played some lovely football in this tournament, but have bookended their run with two dreadful thrashings by the Spanish. 7-1 to Spain on aggregate with their earlier win in the group stages.
87 mins - The game has become slightly incidental. Russia are a beaten side, and Spain have stopped trying, presumably considering scoring any more to be a bit rude.
88 mins - A deep free kick is headed brillianty by Sychev from point-blank range, but Casillas earns his beans with a fine save.
90 mins - Guiza is sent clear again, but can only fire straight at the body of Akinfeev. Almost done here.
90+2 mins - Sychev fires wide, and it doesn't look like the Russians will even get a consolation goal here.
FULL TIME - Russia 0 - 3 Spain
21.40 BST - Hard to argue with the result to be honest, the Russians just vanished when it really mattered, and produced always nothing all game. Spain took a while to get going, but when they did, they were irresistible. Germany v Spain back in Vienna on Sunday then.
21.50 BST - So, we're done here, congratulations to Spain. And we'll be back for the final on Sunday night. Fun, fun, fun.
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