Pepe Reina, Alvaro Arbeloa and Xabi Alonso all started, with the Liverpool midfielder handed the captain's armband.
Alonso impressed throughout and almost scored one of his trademark goals from inside his own half. He spotted Greece goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis off his line and tried his luck. The shot went narrowly wide while the Greece keeper collided with his own post.
Spain created plenty of chances but with Fernando Torres and David Villa both rested they struggled to put them away before turning a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 in the second half.