Spain Euro 12: Inability to Finish Matches Will Haunt Team

When Spain looks back at their opening-round draw against Italy at Euro 2012, they will think of missed chances. If those missed chances keep happening, they will cost the team yet another shot at glory.

Spain could have won the match instead of settling for a 1-1 draw.

Correction: Spain should have won that match.

Opportunities for huge, game-winning goals were missed, and in a tournament like this, that can be the difference between being the champion and being just one of the pack.

The match summary via ESPNSoccerNet does a great job breaking down Spain's last-minute misses:

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Del Bosque finally introduced a striker in Torres and although the former Atletico Madrid man looked sharp, he still appeared short on confidence in front of goal.

After 75 minutes he tried to round Buffon but the Juventus goalkeeper made a clean tackle and, then 10 minutes later, a clever one-two with Xavi saw Torres burst through but his attempted chip drifted narrowly over.

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This is not a winning formula, especially for a squad as prolific as Spain's. If they keep on missing opportunities, the misses will haunt them at this Euro tournament.

They often say that football (the United States version) is a game of inches, but the same can be said of international football.

Not only is it a game where inches can mean the difference between a goal and a goal kick, but just one goal can mean the difference between being a champion and being a pedestrian.

Spain is a championship-caliber team, but they played like pedestrians today at the end of this match. Maybe it should all just fall on Torres, but this is a team game, and everybody has to be held accountable.

Champions seal the deal when the match is on the line. Champions win the game of inches and turn near misses into goals.

The inability to finish matches will haunt even the most talented of teams, and Spain isn't above being haunted by their mistakes.