Euro 2024, Spain beats Italy 1-0: Azzurri dominated, an own goal by Calafiori decides
The match is a continuous siege by the Furie Rosse, Spalletti's team that did not arrive. The fort erected by an amazing Donnarumma gives way in the 55th minute
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Italy defeated 1-0 by Spain in the match of the second day of group B of the European Football Championships.
At the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, home of Schalke 04, a real domination of the Red Furies takes place, and the result is also very close to them. Calafiori's own goal in the 55th minute decided the match, but the Azzurri were kept up by a super Donnarumma and a sensational crossbar that blocked Nico Williams' shot, man of the match.
A Spanish monologue on the pitch, Italy soils Unai Simon's gloves only in the 86th minute when, on the occasion of the first corner of the match for the Azzurri, Cristante's first shot arrives on target, weak and central.
THE FORMATIONS
Luciano Spalletti proposes the 4-2-3-1 again and confirms the eleven that defeated Albania : Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Calafiori, Bastoni, Dimarco; Jorginho, Barella; Chiesa, Frattesi, Pellegrini; Scamacca.
De La Fuente changes one compared to Croatia, Laporte in defense for Nacho, and lines up his team with a 4-3-3: Unai Simon; Carvajal, Le Normand, Laporte, Cucurella; Pedri, Rodri, Fabian Ruiz; Yamal, Morata Nico Williams.
THE NEWS
Difficult start for the Azzurri, a minute passes and a super Donnarumma flies to deflect Pedri's header into a corner in front of goal. Immediately afterwards Nico Williams spreads panic in our area, but he doesn't get to the shot. In the 10th minute, another colossal opportunity for the Red Furies: Morata's kissed cross, Nico Williams escapes Di Lorenzo's marking and finds himself heading the ball two steps from the goal, but misses the target due to a matter of centimeters.
Spain plays the game, dominates in midfield and creates dangers especially on the left, where Nico Williams is impregnable for Di Lorenzo and the rest of the Italian defense. In the 20th minute the first good move by the Azzurri, but Dimarco's low cross back finds no one to come in tow to finish. And when Lamine Yamal also enters the game, it's painful: he overtakes two opponents, centralizes and assists Morata, Donnarumma does well on the way out. The PSG goalkeeper also had to fly to deflect a great shot from outside by Fabian Ruiz into a corner.
The Red Furies rage: Bastoni blocks a very dangerous shot from Rodri, then makes a great close on Nico Williams in the area. In the 41st minute Fabian Ruiz challenges Donnarumma again, for the easiest of his saves. Italy's fort holds, we go to the break tied but with disheartening statistics: Spain has more than 60% of ball possession, Spalletti's team is still scoreless with shots on goal and corner kicks. The only attempt, very high, is from Chiesa and arrives in the 45th minute.
SECOND HALF
At the start of the second half Spalletti changes: Cristante and Cambiaso come on for Jorginho and Frattesi, both out of the match and completely at the mercy of the Spanish midfield. 20 seconds pass and the Roma midfielder is booked, the third yellow of the match after those for Donnarumma and Rodri.
The music, however, does not change. Spain continues to play the game and rages on the left: Nico Williams serves Cucurella, low cross for Pedri who misses a moving penalty and puts it out. Another colossal chance for the Red Furies. It's a siege, Pedri challenges Donnarumma from outside, in the middle of a failed counterattack with Scamacca who, after defending the ball well, fails to serve Chiesa. And in the end the blue fort gave way, in the 55th minute: it took an own goal from Calafiori, a cross from the usual Nico Williams, a head from Morata and Donnarumma intervened, deflecting the ball onto the legs of the Bologna defender, who slipped into his own goal.
Still extraordinary for Donnarumma, who first had to come out and then deflected Morata's shot into a corner to neutralize the Spanish attacks. Absolute dominance. In the 58th minute Cambiaso avoids the knockout blow by repelling a header off the line following a corner from the Spaniards. A couple of minutes pass and Yamal touches the post from outside.
In the 64th minute the attackers also change: Chiesa and Scamacca out, Zaccagni and Retegui in. And in the 66th minute Italy created the first chance of the match: Cristante left on the right, entered the area and put in a cross which Retegui narrowly missed at the first and Pellegrini all alone at the far post.
But in the 71st minute it was Spain again : personal action by Nico Williams and a great shot that sensationally hit the crossbar. Immediately after, first changes also for De La Fuente: Yamal and Pedri out, Torres and Baena in. In the final, Italy tries to raise the center of gravity, but fails to produce a real reaction. Pellegrini's attempt directly from a free kick from 20 meters ends up high. Other changes for Spain: Oyarzabal and Perez for Morata and Nico Williams, while Spalletti goes for broke and also brings in Raspadori for Pellegrini.
Italy manages to produce the first shot on target in the 86th minute, a deflection by Cristante after a corner from the left which does not worry Unai Simon. But even in a more strong-willed finish he fails to create chances, and indeed two other great saves by Donnarumma on Perez avoid the doubling. In the 96th minute Donnarumma also advanced on the second, and last, blue corner of the match. But it's a stalemate.
It ends with a well-deserved victory for Spain. The Iberians therefore already qualified for the round of 16 as top of the group, mathematically. Italy follows on 3 points, Croatia and Albania on 1. A draw on Monday evening against Croatia is enough to guarantee us second place and passage to the round of 16, another defeat could send us out of Euro 2024.
(Unioneonline)
