Euro 2024: Spain put on a show in win against holders Italy

Gelsenkirchen, June 21

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Europe beware — Spain might just be back. The three-time European champions advanced to the Round of 16 at Euro 2024 after a 1-0 win against holders Italy.

A 55th-minute own goal by Riccardo Calafiori settled the Group B game. But that didn’t begin to tell the full story of a statement performance from Spain, which surely marks them as one of the favourites to win a record-extending fourth title. “I think it was the best Spain performance I have taken charge of,” coach Luis de la Fuente said. “I don’t see a ceiling on this team. The sky is the limit.”

Spain totally dominated Italy, with 16-year-old winger Lamine Yamal further enhancing his reputation as one of football’s most exciting young stars. Player of the Match Nico Williams also tormented Italy’s defenders and was the width of the crossbar away from scoring in the second half. It took Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to keep the score down with a string of fine saves until inadvertently pushing the ball into the legs of Calafiori, who couldn’t prevent it from ricocheting into his own goal.

“They deserved to win and we were never in the game,” Italy coach Luciano Spalletti said. “There was too much of a gulf. We were constantly stretched, we were never able to squeeze the gaps between the various units. They caused us more problems than the scoreline suggests, let’s not beat around the bush.”

Ukraine alive and kicking

Ukraine roused themselves in the nick of time to salvage their hopes as substitute Roman Yaremchuk’s late strike saw them hit back after falling a goal behind to beat Slovakia 2-1 in a lively Group E clash in Duesseldorf.

In Berlin, a superb second-half performance by Austria kick-started their hopes of making the knockout stage with a 3-1 win over Poland. — Agencies