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The 2008 European Champions were given a rousing reception as they returned to the Ernst Happel Stadion, the scene of their sensational Eurocopa triumph a year ago.

But it was Austria who stunned the visitors on seven minutes when Jakob Jantscher connected with Roman Wallner’s cross and his low first-time drive took a wicked deflection off Sergio Ramos and looped over the wrong-footed Iker Casillas.

But just three minutes later, Spain were leveled. David Silva’s short through ball found Cesc Fabregas, who easily breezed between two defenders into the box before slotting the ball past Christian Gratzei.

La Furia Roja maintained their momentum and they were deservedly infront after 20 minutes. Iniesta chested down a gorgeous long ball from the halfway line and arrowed a through pass to David Villa, who smashed a clinical shot past the despairing goalkeeper in a one-on-one. 

A minute later, Iniesta almost got on the scoresheet himself when he cut in from the left and unleashed a thunderbolt from 20 yards out but Gratzei did brilliantly to push the ball out with an acrobatic dive.

What was a fairly clean friendly turned nasty on 27 minutes when Yasin Pehlivan was flashed a straight red card after a late lunge on Sergio Busquets. From the ensuing freekick, Spain almost found the net again. Sergio Ramos held up the ball on the right channel at the byline before clipping it into the middle for Fabregas, who headed over the bar off-balance from three yards out.

David Silva should have made it three for the Spaniards on 34 minutes. Fabregas played him in on a counter-attack but the Valencia forward hesitated as he bore down on goal and his low shot on the edge of the box was anticipated and saved by Gratzei.

With one man short, the Austrians simply had no answers in midfield and the European champions were allowed to roam freely. And they duly obliged with a goal right on the stroke of half-time to race to a 3-1 lead. Silva skipped down the right flank and slipped in a delightfully disguised through ball to Villa, who rounded the goalkeeper with a deft first touch and toe-poked the ball over the line from a tight angle.

With a comfortable advantage, Vicente del Bosque took out all his big guns at the break and gave the fringe players a run out as Villa, Silva, Xavi, Iniesta and Casillas were all withdrawn. And the substitutes did not disappoint.

First, Dani Guiza made it 4-1 on 56 minutes. He played a played a one-two with Pablo Hernandez and although the return ball was too heavy, defender, Christian Fuchs made the mistake of waiting for his goalkeeper to come out and collect and the Fenerbahce hitman pounced by sticking his foot out and stabbing the ball home.

A mere 60 seconds later, the Spanish Armada lay siege again and they breached their hosts’ goal for the fifth time. Jesus Navas charged down the right, pulled the ball back to the middle for Pablo, who charged through the crowded backline and rifled a shot past a hapless Gratzei.

It should have been six on 73 minutes when a dazzling free flowing move released Guiza down the left channel, but the striker’s cutback ricochet off a defender onto the foot of the post, before Gratzei gathered gratefully.

Austria had a penalty shout on 82 minutes when Fuchs was bundled over in the area by a back-tracking Guiza, but the referee was not interested in the appeals. The home side ended strongly as they pushed for a second goal to soften the damage. And they nearly got their reward in injury time. Erwin Hoffer had the final chance of the game when he streaked clean through on goal but dragged his shot wide across Pepe Reina with Raul Albiol bearing down on him.

The Spaniards wrapped up 2009 in style, and only a late Albiol injury dampened their celebrations.

KS Leong, Goal.com