Spain beat Italy 1-0 on Thursday in the second match of the Euro 2024 group stage, with the only score being an own goal despite Spain dominating throughout the match.
Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made eight saves in the defeat, but he was unable to prevent a second-half deflection by defender Riccardo Calafiori.
The victory saw Spain qualify for the knockout stages, while Italy will face Croatia in the final group match in hopes of securing a place in the round of 16.
“We are angry,” Donnarumma said after the match. “Let’s use this to motivate us for the next matches, our destiny is in our hands.”
Here’s how Thursday’s match went:
Final: Spain 1, Italy 0
Riccardo Calafiori’s second-half own goal gave dominant Spain a 1-0 win on Thursday against reigning champions Italy to advance to the last 16 of Euro 2024 as as winner of group B.
Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma kept his team in the game during the first half, turning away Pedri’s header and denying Alvaro Morata from a tight angle before producing a brilliant fingertip save from Italy’s long-range effort. Fabian Ruiz.
Winger Nico Williams tormented Italian right-back Giovanni Di Lorenzo and created the winner, sending a dangerous ball across goal which Calafiori deflected into the net in the 55th minute.
Italy barely threatened to equalize before a late spell of possession which Spain withstood with relative ease.
-Reuters
Nico Williams off the crossbar
Nico Williams’ curling shot hit the crossbar in the 70th minute, which would have been spectacular for the 21-year-old who was electric in Thursday’s match against Italy.
Own goal! Spain 1, Italy 0 in the 55th minute
All the Spanish pressure finally paid off as a deflection from Riccardo Calafiori found the back of the net, a deserved goal for the team that had dominated the match.
This is already a fifth own goal at Euro 2024.
Start of the second half, Italy makes substitutions
The second half begins in Gelsenkirchen, with Italy making two changes at the break. Andrea Cambiaso and Bryan Cristante replace Jorginho and Davide Frattesi. Cristante received a yellow card less than two minutes later for his tackle on Rodri.
HALF-TIME: Spain 0, Italy 0
Spain looked better in the first half, particularly early on, with Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma making three saves in the first half hour.
Spain midfielder Rodri received a yellow card, his second of the tournament, and will now miss his country’s final group stage match.
More Gianluigi Donnarumma saves for Italy
Spain kept Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma busy in the first half hour, requiring saves from a tight-angle effort from Alvaro Morata and a long-range effort from midfielder Fabian Ruiz. That’s three to 30 minutes for the 25-year-old who plays for Paris Saint-Germain
Spain has around 64.3% possession so far and is keeping the Italians pushed back in defense.
Nico Williams causes headaches for Italy
Spain fed left winger Nico Williams for the first 15 minutes and the 21-year-old ran all the way up the Italian right flank. His ball from the baseline set up a Pedri header that forced Gianluigi Donnarumma to make a save in the second minute and Williams had a big chance from a header a few minutes later.
Williams, who plays for Athletic Bilbao in Spain, is making his 16th international appearance.
Italy vs Spain in progress: Donnarumma makes a big save early
Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was called upon less than two minutes into the match, making a point-blank save on Pedri’s header, which came off Nico Williams’ precise cross from the backline.
Donnarumma was named the best player of the Euro 2020 tournament, leading Italy to the title.
Spain vs. Italy Lineups
Spain: Unai Simon; Dani Carvajal, Robin Le Normand, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella; Fabián Ruiz, Rodri, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Alvaro Morata (c), Nico Williams
Italy: Gianluigi Donnarumma (c); Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Alessandro Bastoni, Riccardo Calafiori, Federico Dimarco; Jorginho, Nicolò Barella; Federico Chiesa, Davide Frattesi, Lorenzo Pellegrini; Gianluca Scamacca
Spain vs Italy team news
Spanish centre-half Aymeric Laporte will make his first Euro 2024 appearance against reigning champions Italy on Thursday, replacing Nacho in the starting team for the Group B match.
Laporte was the only change for Spain manager Luis de la Fuente, who kept faith in left-back Marc Cucurella while midfielder Rodri and captain Alvaro Morata start after being substituted in Saturday’s win against Croatia due to minor injuries.
Italy are unchanged from their 2-1 win over Albania with Gianluca Scamacca leading the attack and four defenders including 22-year-old Riccardo Calafiori alongside Alessandro Bastoni.
The winners will qualify for the round of 16 at the top of Group B. Croatia and Albania each have one point after two matches.
-Reuters
Spain vs Italy could be a ‘World Cup final’
With a quicker, more direct approach than the possession-based “tiki-taka” style that made them European champions in 2008 and 2012 as well as World Cup winners in 2010, Spain coach Luis de la Fuente believes that the 2024 versions of the two teams are very similar in the way they play.
“We look a lot alike, it’s also a team that is still developing, with a lot of young players and a new coach, very competitive in his approach… When I see them, it’s like we’re looking at each other in the mirror,” says De la Fuente.
“It’s a team that’s coming up with a very good collective spirit. It will be a very balanced match between two traditional teams. It’s a football classic, a clash that could easily be a Euro or World Cup final. World Cup.”
-Reuters
Lamine Yamal is the youngest player at Euro 2024
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente congratulated Lamine Yamal after his first major tournament appearance on Saturday and spoke of the teenager’s potential to become a great player.
Yamal, at 16, is the youngest player to have participated in the European Championship.
“Yamal is impressing everyone and moving up the ranks,” De la Fuente said after Spain’s 3-0 win over Croatia in the Group B match. “He has to continue to improve every day and, with In time, he will become a wonderful footballer,” added the coach.
-Reuters
England vs Denmark Highlights: Frustrating draw for Three Lions
England missed the chance to book their place in the knockout stages of Euro 2024 after being held to a 1-1 draw against Denmark in Group C on Thursday.
England took the lead in the 18th minute after the fast-advancing Kyle Walker caught Danish defender Victor Kristiansen heading for the ball and the full-back’s deflected low cross into the box fell on captain Harry Kane who inserted it. However, Gareth Southgate’s side failed to do so. 16 minutes later, Morten Hjulmand had the time and space to smash the ball low past the post from long range.
Euro 2020 runners-up England had been touted as tournament favorites but struggled to create decent chances throughout the match. They remain top of Group C with four points, while Denmark are second with two points after Slovenia’s 1-1 draw with Serbia earlier.
-Reuters
Euro Spain-Italy: “Most important match” of the group stage
Defending champions Italy may have won their opening Euro 2024 match against Albania with an unexpected attacking style of football, but Spain – their opponents on Thursday – remain unfazed, coach Luis said de la Fuente.
He made it clear, however, that his team was not preparing for a game of finesse and was preparing for something more akin to a pitched battle.
“We are ready to face the mud, dig deep in a quarry and spend a day at the office. Ready for anything,” De la Fuente said at a press conference on Wednesday.
“We know what kind of football they play and how competitive they are, so we won’t be surprised. I expect a strong and aggressive Italy who will try to control possession. This is the most important match of the group stage.”
-Reuters
Spain vs Italy Stadium
Thursday’s match will be played at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, home of German club FC Schalke 04.
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