Spain dominated Italy but only had a solitary goal to show for it as they secured top-spot in Group B in Gelsenkirchen.
Spain bossed the opening 45 minutes and Pedri and Nico Williams spurned fine chances to break the deadlock while Gianluigi Donnarumma was in inspired form in the Italian goal.
Nine minutes after the break Riccardo Calafiori scored an unfortunate own-goal from a Williams cross but try as they might Spain could not find a second as while Pedri missed another sitter and Williams thumped the woodwork while Donnarumma would simply not be beaten.
Italy mustered a little late pressure but now face a crunch clash with Croatia on Monday to determine who will go through to the last-16 as runners-up.
Calafiori own goal breaks deadlock 📸#EURO2024 | #ESPITA pic.twitter.com/XcGFdpKCSv
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 20, 2024
Spain dominate from the start
Pedri should have put Spain ahead inside two minutes when he was left unmarked in the middle to meet Nico Williams’ perfect cross from the left but his header was too close to Gianluigi Donnarumma who made a flying fingertip save.
Williams was giving right-back Giovanni Di Lorenzo a torrid time on the left flank but himself missed a sitter from an inswinging cross from Alvaro Morata on 10 minutes, ghosting towards the back post but sending his close range header flashing past the near upright in plenty of space.
Lamine Yemal slalomed his way into the box before feeding Morata who was driven wide before seeing an angled shot blocked by the feet of Donnarumma and moments later the keeper flew to his right to tip over a rasping long-range drive from Fabian Ruiz on 25 minutes.
The Spain pressure was unrelenting and Rodri first dragged a low shot wide of target and then saw a first-time strike blocked by Alessandro Bastoni after some slick approach play.
Bastoni came to the rescue with a timely intervention to prevent Williams from latching onto a reverse pass from Pedri in the box while…
Source link : https://www.101greatgoals.com/news/euro-2024-spain-1-0-italy/
Author : Alex Hoad
Publish date : 2024-06-20 20:58:46
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