Very good football and a great image as a team, both on a collective level and individually in the case of the vast majority of players. The Spanish selection has once again put in a great performance, like in the debut against Croatia (3-0), and this Thursday they won 1-0 against Italia to mathematically seal their pass to the round of 16 of Euro 2024 and as first in the group, in the absence of the duel on the last day of group B against Albania.
After knocking out Croatia in the opener, Spain has also accounted for the current European champion. With all merit. The team’s punch in its last matches at times abandoned those of Luis de la Fuente, who had up to five clear chances in the first half without seeing the goal. But the three-time European champions (1964, 2008 and 2012) continued to dominate after the break and in the 54th minute came the goal from Riccardo Calafiori in his own goal that did justice to the score. Italy had to take a step forward and, although they pushed in the final stretch, they came close to conceding the second but did not do so due to the outstanding performance of Donnarumma, who saved his team from being thrashed.
The truth is that this Spain works for the moment. The general comment was: “I want to see them against a tough rival like Italy.” And Luis de la Fuente’s men performed with flying colors against the always rocky team. blueto which he taught his harsh reality.
A nightmare called Nico Williams
Those of Luciano Spalletti They are in their own transition, but De la Fuente has the advantage. Spain came in with everything and put fear into its rival’s body, with a succession of chances that began in the first minute with a header from Pedri that Donnarumma cleared after the overflow of Nico Williams, the best of the matcha nightmare for the transalpine defense and especially for Di Lorenzo.
The youngest Williams also forgave shortly after, while Morata and Fabian They also joined the festival of occasions, the latter with a tremendous distant missile against which Donnarumma excelled. Spain pressed, stole their pressure and attacked, but did not have the punch they had been showing and Italy lived off some quick transition and Barella’s ideas in the center of the field. Chiesa and Scamacca gave some sense of danger, but the truth is that Unai Simón was just another spectator in the first half and did not have any work to do. Nico, spectacular, continued doing his thing and Pedri reappeared although barely connecting with Morata. Spain deserved the goal, but at half-time they were empty-handed in Gelsenkirchen.
Victory without discussion but by the minimum
Spalletti made two changes after the break, including Bryan Cristante who saw yellow a few seconds after entering the field due to a strong stomp on Rodri. The Manchester City midfielder, who had also been cautioned and will not be against Albania, was able to continue despite the heavy blow.
Spain continued to press and tilt the field towards Donnarumma and, after having all the colors, managed to open the can with an own goal from Calafiori, reward for another overflow action by Nico Williams. The Nations League champion then had her moment to sentence, with Lamine Yamal. The Barcelona fan, who went from less to more, He was about to score the best goal of the Euro Cup: His long-range shot grazed the top corner and spurred on the Spanish crowd, who had grown up watching how their team played.
Nico also deserved the goal and almost found it with a great long shot that hit the crossbar. Spain fell in love and was around 2-0. De la Fuente put Álex Baena, Ferran, Oyarzabal and He cleaned up Perez, this one enjoying a great occasion in which he tested Donnarumma. Italy grew in the last minutes: they had no choice but to take a step forward and managed to give some suspense to the match. But Spain defended itself perfectly, which also knows how to protect itself, and ended up tying up a triumph that has a double and even triple prize: vendetta against Italy, a ticket for the round of 16 and ensuring a relatively comfortable crossing by finishing first. Albania is already waiting for Monday the 24th in Düsseldorf.
Datasheet
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Spain, 1: Unai Simón, Carvajal, Laporte, Le Normand, Cucurella, Rodri, Fabián (Mikel Merino, m.94), Pedri (Álex Baena, m.71), Lamine Yamal (Ferran Torres, m.71), Nico Williams (Ayoze, m.78) and Morata (Oyarzabal, m.78)
Italia, 0: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Calafiori, Bastoni, Dimarco; Barella, Jorginho (Cristante, m.46); Chiesa (Zacagni, m.64), Frattesi (Cambiaso, m.46), Pellegrini; Scamacca (Retegui, m.64)
Gol: 1-0, m.54: Calafiori, own goal
Referee: Slavko Vincic (Slovenia). He booked Rodri (45), Le Normand (69) and Carvajal (96) for Spain; and Donnarumma (15) and Cristante (46) for Italy
Incidences: Match corresponding to the second day of Group B of Euro 2024 played at the Arena AufSchalke in front of 49,500 spectators. King Felipe VI presided over the meeting in the honor box. A minute of silence was observed in memory of Gerhard Aigner, former UEFA general secretary
2024-06-20 21:02:03
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