Football Europe was aware that the Spanish starters had left the best impression of this Euro during the first two days. She now knows that their replacements also know how to rise to the occasion. The Croats and Italians could have cursed the team composition concocted by De la Fuente. Aside from Laporte, the entire basic 11 has been reworked.
The controversy lasted only 13 minutes. Time for Torres to improve, with an exquisite flat foot, a good service from Olmo (0-1). It’s rare enough to be stressed. Usually, 10 changes from one match to another shake up a team, no matter how great a nation it is. Even when the usual replacements are Raya, Olmo, Navas, Torres, Oyarzabal or Joselu, hero of the last semi-final second leg of the Champions League. Not here where the Iberians dominated the match from head to toe.
Of course, the rhythm was less spectacular than during the clash against Italy but the second knives of de la Fuente produced a clean score on a technical level, tinged with serenity like Grimaldo or Olmo who substituted successfully Cucurella and Ruiz. Sylvinho’s protégés never managed to ignite the match, even intermittently as they were able to do against Italy and Croatia apart from in added time. Regrettable when a possible historical qualification beckoned to you given the context.
At 38 years and 216 days, Navas erases Canizares tablets by becoming the oldest Spaniard to play a match in a major tournament.
It is not Spain’s business who preserved their starters, while Rodri served his match suspension, while managing to achieve a 9/9 with his B team. The first and last time it had done, it was in 2008 and Luis Aragones’s gang had lifted the trophy. Hispanics dream of a similar fate. All the lights are green before facing the second in Group C on Saturday in Dortmund, which includes England and Denmark. From now on, the adventure will continue without the majority of hairdressers. But an entire country hopes on July 14 to get the best haircut.
Top: Grimaldo (8/10): On his left side, he tried to contribute as much as Cucurella which he did rather well as he could have been credited with many assists if his teammates had not wasted his crosses precise (23rd, 37th, 41st, 43rd, 47th).
Flop: Laçi (4/10): He was launched successfully against Croatia, as evidenced by his goal, but against the Spanish B team, he never knew how to move wisely and infiltrate.
Albania: Strakosha; Balliu, Djimsiti, Ayeti, Mitaj; Ramadani, Laçi (70e Berisha), Asllani; Asani (81st Muçi), Bajrami (70th Hoxha), Manaj (59th Broja)
Spain: Raya; Navas, Vivian, Laporte (46e Le Normand), Grimaldo ; Zubimendi, Merino ; Torres (71e Yamal), Olmo (84e Baena), Oyarzabal (61e Fermin Lopez); Joselu (72e Morata)
Arbitre : M.Nyberg
Warnings: Sylvinho, Bajrami, Vivian
The goal: 13th Torres (0-1)
2024-06-25 05:00:00
#Spanish #hairdressers #pull #rug #Albania
