SpainItaly
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55′
Riccardo Calafiori
55′
Riccardo Calafiori
1 – 0
Spain has made a statement against defending champion Italy, with which it has immediately qualified for the 1/8th finals. The Spaniards overwhelmed the Azzurri with one wave of attacks after another, although they needed help from the Italians themselves to score.
Spain – Italy in a nutshell
Some Italians will have nightmares this night about the terror that Nico Williams brought to the left flank. Bleached dreads and blistering speed, Williams played almost the perfect match. His deserved goal crashed onto the crossbar.
It was Williams who helped Spain make the breakthrough. Just before the hour it went too fast for the Italians again. The winger threw the ball in front of goal, where Donnarumma pushed the ball into the net via Calafiori. Let’s just attribute that to the 21-year-old from Athletic Club.
xG figures (Expected Goals) don’t say everything, but today they are particularly telling. Spain achieved no less than 2.26, so they should have scored at least two, compared to Italy’s 0.18.
Red against blue
With Spain-Italy we had the top bill of the group stage on the agenda tonight. A classic of European football, with forty previous matches. They have met each other seven times at the European Championships, but Spain could only win one of them.
Time to change that, seemed to be the message. Spain started furiously, was too fast everywhere on the field, too well coordinated, too creative. Exponent par excellence: Nico Williams. He ate his direct opponent Giovanni Di Lorenzo skin and hair.
Spain raged over the Italians, which saw all the colors of the rainbow. There were no goals before half-time, although Williams headed a great opportunity wide after ten minutes.
The only Italian really at the same level was the man under the bar, Gigio Donnarumma. Time and time again he kept his country straight. A loud bang from Fabian Ruiz would have been appropriate, but Donnarumma stood firm with one hand.
Yamal did not live up to expectations for the time being, and did not become the youngest goalscorer at a European Championship. Swiss Johan Vonlanthen will remain a quiz question for at least a few more days.
Carom
Italy coach (just look on the back of his jacket) Luciano Spalletti knew he had to intervene. Andrea Cambiaso and Bryan Cristante were sent out to the pasture with the message that they would fight hard. Barely 25 seconds into the second half, the latter was already given a yellow card after, what were you thinking, intervention too firmly on Rodri.
Virtually nothing changed in the game image. Pedri had two big chances, again originating on the left flank, but did not convert.
The lid-on-the-nose scenario started to take shape, in our heads, but then the Italians themselves helped break the ban. Superman of the match Williams fired a cross into the box, where it caromed into the net via Donnarumma and Calafiori.
The Italians saw the Spaniards struggling to make number two. Williams hit the crossbar, Yamal curled just wide. Substitute Perez also failed to get the ball into the net with two excellent chances.
In the absence of the second, the Italians smelled blood and Spanish stress. However, Spain’s speed and agility were not there and so opportunities were still scarce. Even Donnarumma, who came along, couldn’t make it in the very last minute.
Spain is tournament favorite, despite the modest result. Italy, on the other hand, is not even sure of the next round, they will have to play against the Croats on Monday.
Watch Calafiori’s own goal:
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Italy coach Spalletti: “They were much better”
Luciano Spalletti was honest after the flooding of Italy: “The difference was in the freshness, they were much fresher. The key to the problem is always the same: we reacted too slowly each time, they just caused problems with their speed and their choices. In the second half we were more intense and created situations that could have led to a draw. But they were stronger than us and deserved to win.”
Man of the match Nico Williams helped Italy off the mat: “In the beginning we had difficulty finding each other, but we managed to do so afterwards. We worked like animals. Italy defended themselves well, but we had many chances and now so the victory. We showed that we can achieve something great at this European Championship, we can achieve more.”
Phase by phase
Super Spain keeps it exciting
Vincic frees the Spanish heart sufferers. Luis de la Fuente’s men were overwhelming, dominant and by far the best team on the field. Standout Nico Williams forced (Donnarumma and) Calafiori to score their own goal, but La Furia Roja did not get further than the smallest victory. In the end they lost control of the game, but despite fifteen minutes of tension, Spain took the three points from Gelsenkirchen. Overdeserved.
It’s such a melee, and Calafiori wants to make up for his own goal with half a bicycle kick, but to no avail. Next to, and end of the match.
We are over extra time, Italy grabs the last chance with both hands. Cambiaso has to allow a corner and Donnarumma crosses the field.
Cramps among the Spaniards, to the frustration of the men in white. De la Fuente also makes his last substitution.
Perez also shows technical class
They don’t get any bigger, Perez! Suddenly the winger finds itself in seas of space, but it staggers and cannot get past the long arm of Donnarumma. This was the moment to distance ourselves, will it be an expensive miss?
Dekselse Donnarumma keeps Perez from scoring twice
Ayoze Perez took over from Williams and is now imitating him. Acceleration on the left, pannatje and stairs. Just like Williams, he does not score. Three more minutes of football.
An additional 4 minutes will be added.
Dani Carvajal actually runs into Retegui’s foot, but then uses his best tricks. Twisting and rolling in pain, then quickly standing up again. Carvajal, the absolute winner.
Italy again immediately
The Azzurri, in white today, immediately regain the ball and suddenly it becomes stressful for the Spaniards. They have completely lost control.
It’s a good one from Raspadori, but no one touches it. Unai Simon picks, and now chooses not to immediately set up the counter.
Spain cannot get the Italians back in their room, and a corner for Italy raises the roof in the Veltins Arena. The puppets start dancing, Vincic has to extinguish before he kicks. It won’t happen, will it?
It’s still only 1-0
Peter Vandenbempt
2024-06-20 20:06:00
#Swinging #Spain #sweeps #Italy #mat #goal #win
