Spain beat Italy 1-0 in the second match for both teams at Euro 2024. The match in Gelsenkirchen was completely under the dictation of Luis de la Fuente’s boys and the current European champion can be happy to have escaped with a minimal defeat.
The Group B derby was decided in the 55th minute when Riccardo Calafiori scored an unfortunate own goal. Gianluigi Donnarumma, however, was on top for most of the match and saved half a dozen chances, saving Italy from a rout.
In this way, Spain has definitely qualified for the 1/8 finals of the tournament, after collecting 6 points after two wins. Italy has 3 points and a match with the tough Croats is ahead, who will try to upset the “Squadra Azzurra”.
Spain had a golden chance to open the scoring in the 2nd minute. Nico Williams showed his pace on the left wing and crossed brilliantly into the penalty area, where Pedri headed home, but Donnarumma intervened fantastically and with one hand managed to clear the ball for a corner.
Ten minutes after the start, the Spaniards created another goalscoring opportunity. Luis de la Fuente’s men organized a lightning counterattack in which Nico Williams and Alvaro Morata had switched places. Thus, the ball fell to the feet of the captain of “La Furia” on the left flank, and he crossed sharply to Nico Williams, who headed the ball from the edge of the penalty area, but the ball went centimeters past the right post.
The strong play of the Spaniards led to another chance in front of the Italian goal. Alvaro Morata received the ball in the penalty area, dribbled past two Italians, closed the angle, but still managed to shoot, but Donnarumma was there and blocked his attempt.
Just a minute later, Donnarumma had to show his class again. Fabian Ruiz fired a real rocket towards the Italian goal from about 35 meters out, but the “Squadra Azzurra” keeper cleared the ball with his fingertips as it was heading under the crossbar.
In the last minute of half-time, Italy made their first good attack, which developed down the right wing. Federico Chiesa advanced with the ball, reached the penalty area, but his shot was as disappointing as the overall performance of the Italians in the first 45 minutes.
In the 52nd minute, Spain created another clean goalscoring opportunity against Italy. Marc Cucurella crossed sharply along the ground into the “Azzurri” box, and Pedri shot on the move, but past the post.
After all this plethora of chances and situations in front of Donnarumma, the logical thing happened 10 minutes after the restart and Spain took the lead. Once again, Nico Williams was unstoppable on the left wing and crossed dangerously into the Italian box. There was a light touch of the head from Morata, and also from Donnarumma, who unfortunately for the whole of Italy, only changed the trajectory of the ball so much as to deceive Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori, who sent the ball into his own net.
The Spaniards were not satisfied with just this goal and continued to press. In the 60th minute, Yeremi Pino took a great shot from distance, but the ball flew centimeters off target.
Ten minutes later, the unstoppable in this match Nico Williams once again made a fool of Giovanni di Lorenzo on the left wing, cut inside and shot dangerously, only to see the ball bounce off the crossbar.
Shortly before the end, Calafiori could have made amends for his own goal, but his shot after a corner kick went into the hands of the goalkeeper.
In the last minutes, the Italians created some chaos in front of the Spanish goal, but only with aimless crosses and thus “La Furia” congratulated themselves with the 3 points.
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