European U-21 Championship

Win not enough for Spanish

Spain were eliminated from the European Under-21s Championships but finished the tournament strongly with a dominant 2-0 victory over Finland.

Strikes in each half from Escudero Raul Garcia and Sanchez Pedro Leon wrapped up the win, but Germany's draw with England meant Spain finished third in Group B - and like Finland, failed to make the semi-finals.

Spain should have scored in the 22nd minute. But Raul Garcia could only head Leon's free-kick straight at Jukka Lehtovaara, while Kasper Hamalainen sliced wildly to waste Finland's best chance.

The deadlock was broken on the half-hour when Raul Garcia cleverly flicked the ball on, and Marc Torrejon was on hand to volley home from close range.

Leon then doubled the lead 10 minutes into the second half by curling a free-kick beyond the diving Lehtovaara, and Xisco should have trebled it on the hour but somehow contrived to send the ball over after meeting a pin-point cross from Nacho Monreal.

Finland almost pulled one back shortly afterwards. But Hamalainen was unlucky to see his effort go wide, and 10 minutes later Lehtovaara was called into action three times in quick succession - tipping over Esteban Granero's rising effort and punching away two strikes from Rodriguez Jonathan Pereira.

It was the impressive Lehtovaara who ultimately kept the scoreline respectable, tipping Granero's shot on to the post with 10 minutes to go to ensure it was still 2-0 at the final whistle.