Spain locked 0-0 with Portugal at half-time

European champions Spain had the better of the opening 45 minutes of an absorbing World Cup round of 16 clash with Portugal on Tuesday, but the score remained locked at 0-0.

It is a crucial meeting for both teams with a quarter-final in Johannesburg on Saturday at stake against Paraguay, who overcame Japan 5-3 in a dramatic penalty shoot-out earlier in the day.

In a stadium packed to the rafters with Spanish and Portuguese fans, Spain quickly signalled their intentions with Fernando Torres testing goalkeeper Eduardo with a shot from the edge of the box in the opening minute.

Eduardo did well to fist it away and he was in action again soon after with the in-form David Villa cutting in from the left and fizzing a shot on target.

Portugal were all over the place and Villa, looking for his fourth World Cup strike, rifled another goal-bound in the sixth minute, with the goalkeeper palming it to safety as he once again came to the rescue.

It was impressive stuff from Spain, who were playing the slick passing game they are so good at.

Portugal’s record of not conceding a goal in South Africa was looking decidedly shaky and Xavi troubled them again by turning and whipping a shot over the bar from a quickly taken corner.

The Portuguese finally got a look in on 20 minutes when Tiago blasted a shot from distance, with Iker Casillas pushing the ball in the air and then having to scramble it to safety as Hugo Almeida challenged him.

Another chance presented itself when Cristiano Ronaldo teed up a 30-yard freekick and Casillas spilled the ball, but the Spanish defence quickly mopped up.

Almost unbelievably, it is the teams’ first meeting at a World Cup, although the pair share a lengthy footballing history featuring no fewer than 32 previous matches.

Spain have won 15 to Portugal’s five.