Spain win fourth Euros with 2-1 dismantling of England

July 14 – Spain were crowned European champions for a record fourth time following a late strike from Mikel Oyarzabal in a 2-1 victory against England.

At the end, Nico Williams kneeled and Mikel Oyazabal burst into tears. Overcome by emotions, Spain’s two goalscorers were dealing with the magnitude of their achievement – they had steered their team to European glory with a composed victory, the coronation and culmination of a dominant four weeks in Germany.

Spain had defeated Croatia, Italy, Germany and France en route to the showpiece match in the German capital with some breathtaking football and ultimately demonstrated they were the tournament’s best team.

For England and Southgate, it was a painful and desperate night. They became the first side to lose successive men’s Euro finals. The English will be left to lament what could have been. At heart, England had been too conservative throughout the tournament failing to bring the best out of what, on paper and club form at least, looked a talented squad.

Yet a good part of the evening had gone to plan for England, keeping their shape and rallying to equalize, but this time there was to be no late great escape, no logic-defying act that would somehow keep England alive. Supersub Mikel Oyarzabal extinguished England’s dream.

In many ways, to give Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal an inch was to hand Spain the match – and that’s precisely what transpired in the 47th minute. All night England set up to smother Spain and contain the flying youngsters. Kyle Walker and Luke Shaw, returning to his left back spot in the starting XI, had bossed the pair in the first half.

Just minutes after the restart, the wingers combined to destroy the English defence. With perfect timing, they both found space away from their markers. Yamal cut infield away from Shaw, and teed up Williams who steered it past Jordan Pickford with a cool and composed finish.

Nico Williams opened the scoring for Spain 

Shaw’s…

Source link : https://www.insideworldfootball.com/2024/07/14/spain-win-fourth-euros-2-1-dismantling-england/

Author : Paul Nicholson

Publish date : 2024-07-14 22:13:49

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