WATCH: Fermin Lopez brace drags Spain through to Olympic semi-finals against Japan | OneFootball

Spain 3-0 Japan

Spain have only dominated games in fits and bursts at the Olympics under Santi Denia, and they relied on Fermin Lopez to see them past Japan, after a disappointing defeat to Egypt in their final group game.

La Roja came out the blocks fast in the quarter-final though, with Lopez getting on the ball outside the box and unleashing a fierce strike into the bottom corner. Then it was Japan who made the running thereafter. If Spain got to half-time in front, it was thanks not to their control, but the woodwork twice and a narrow offside VAR decision with separated their opponents from the scoresheet.

In the second half, Denia set his men out to manage the match, and it wasn’t looking like an entirely successful strategy early doors, as Japan again came forward. As the spaces started to open up, Spain bided their time, and it paid dividends. A warning shot went narrowly wide from Alex Baena after he was found by Lopez, before in the 73rd minute, the Barcelona forward put the game beyond doubt. A set piece was worked to him on the edge of the box, where he controlled on his chest, and fired the bouncing ball high into the net.

With ten minutes to go, it looked as if Japan would get back into it, when against all the odds, Arnau Tenas got fingertips to prevent a one-on-one effort. In the final minutes, Abel Ruiz added to their pain, stabbing home from a corner.

Spain created the better chances, but were a long way from dominant all the same. They march on to the semi-finals, where they will face a crunch match against Morocco, who knocked Spain out of the World Cup.