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. 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.
