Almost there: Semifinal #1, Portugal v. Spain

It's perhaps too bad for the neutral fan that we've reached this stage of the competition without a true Cinderella story on offer, but in lieu of that unifying underdog, we've at least been graced with a couple of semifinal matches between the heavy hitters that are rife with their own storylines indeed. In this vein, I certainly have a thought or two about today's matchup, and, against my better judgement, there's even a prediction on offer, even though predictions from pundits and fans alike have a tendency to stray well off the mark after ninety minutes.

If this were 2008 or 2010, I would have little reservation in picking Spain to prevail in this encounter, but alas, time is a cruel creature indeed, and in the time since these aforementioned years, Fernando Torres' Midas touch in front of goal has betrayed him more times than not--at least more times than either Chelsea or Spain fans would care to admit. As we've seen this time around, Del Bosque's belief that his former Wunderkind can find the back of the net has waned to the point that he has elected to go with something of a 4-6-0 formation for the bulk of this tournament. Such tactics are quite the damning indictment.

Despite Torres' inconsistencies (however kind it may be for me to label them as such), I feel that a central fulcrum of Torres is perhaps especially vital in going up against such a stout backline as that of Portugal. Without a more direct target in front of goal, it just seems to me that the likes of Pepe and Bruno Alves will have no problem snuffing out any Spain forays in the final third once the Spaniards actually get there after playing thirty short passes in midfield that ultimately lead to little.

Cristiano Ronaldo could be on pace for the Golden Boot if he and his cohorts can go but one game further, but such progress would certainly be made easier if he can actually get even a little bit of help from the likes of Helder Postiga or any other true striker, for that matter. As US fans can relate to, Portugal has long sported quality in all departments of the team outside of the strikers, and one can only wonder what Portugal might have achieved if they had sported more quality up front in years past. Maybe today's the day for someone other that Ronaldo to put Portugal on the board.

Prediction: Portugal defends admirably and nicks a goal at some point. 1-0 Portugal.