Torres ends dream season on a high

VIENNA, Austria (AP) - Fernando Torres was rewarded for not giving up in the European Championship final.

The Spain striker struggled all tournament to rediscover the touch that had brought 24 Premier League goals for Liverpool last season, a record for a foreign player on debut.

But he scored in the 33rd minute Sunday to give Spain a 1-0 win over Germany and only its second football title.

Xavi Hernandez slid a ball through for Torres to touch past Philipp Lahm, before he outpaced the Germany defender and clipped a shot over advancing goalkeeper Jens Lehmann and into the net at Ernst Happel Stadium.

It was enough for Spain to win its first title since beating the Soviet Union in the 1964 European Championship final in Madrid.

"I am happy because my job is to score goals. I have done my job,'' Torres said.

"Lahm was in a better position, but for a moment he relaxed and that was to my advantage.

"It is a privilege to be in the national team and to live through the most beautiful moment of getting the cup. It will be good not only for Spain, but also for football because the team that played best won. We are doubly happy because we won and because the best team won.''

Torres didn't have the best start at Euro 2008, being replaced in the team's opening 4-1 win over Russia in the 54th minute as teammate David Villa scored the first hat trick at the tournament since 2000.

Torres scored in Spain's next match, a 2-1 win over Sweden for Spain to clinch progression to the quarterfinals, where he struggled to make any impact in the scoreless draw with Italy and was replaced before the 4-2 penalty shootout victory.

Spain scored three second-half goals to beat Russia 3-0 in the semifinals and take the team through to its first final since the 1984 European Championship.

However, Torres missed numerous chances on the wet surface at Ernst Happel Stadium and was again replaced before fulltime.

But against Germany, Torres' runs exposed the lack of pace of Germany central defenders Per Mertesacker and Christoph Metzelder, although it was Lahm's error that ended a 44-year title drought for Spain.

"It's a fantastic season for me, a fantastic season with Liverpool and a fantastic season with the national team,'' Torres said.

"It's my best season. I want to win more titles and be the most important player in Europe. Hopefully, this is the first of many.'' - AP