Spain advance to the UEFA Euro 2024 knockouts with a deserved victory over Azzurri

For much of the ninety minutes, Italy would bend but not break. Until they did.

A Riccardo Calafiori own goal in the 55th gave Spain a 1-0 draw against defending champions Azzurri in an entertaining Gelsenkirchen clash in Group B action at UEFA Euro 2024.

It was the twelfth meeting between the two sides and the fourth in a row during the quadrennial tournament, a Euro record.

Spain took the lead from almost the opening whistle, with Nico Williams leading the attack on a number of occasions. The Athletic winger was a threat on the right and tested Giovanni Di Lorenzo at almost every turn. Williams almost got things going in the second minute. His serve to Pedri was good, but Gianluigi Donnarumma was able to challenge and turn aside the Barcelona man’s header.

In the 11th it was Williams himself who came close. Williams took a great cross from Alvaro Morata and headed his header over the crossbar.

Midway through the first frame, Donnarumma needed a double save to keep the match scoreless. He first parried Morata’s effort at an acute angle before denying Fabian Ruiz from distance in the 26th with a diving stop.

The two teams went into half-time scoreless, with La Roja well aware that a more clinical team would be ahead, possibly through multiple goals.

The second half started much like the first, with Spain in the foreground, forcing the Azzurri to keep men behind the ball.

The dam finally broke for Italy in the 55th.

It was Williams who got things going again. He sent a cross into the front of the net for Morata, who deflected the ball on goal. Donnarumma parried away, but straight into the path of Calafiori and the Bologna man turned the ball into his own net.

One goal ahead, Spain just kept coming. In the 59th, it looked like Robin Le Normand’s header would sneak into the post if not for Andrea Cambiaso’s intervention. Just two minutes later, 16-year-old Lamine Yamal went just wide with what would have been a special goal.

Donnarumma then kept his side alive again during the injury with a couple of fine saves from substitute Ayoze Perez in the second half.

Spain saw the 90 and was fully qualified for the victory. The Azzurri offered very little going forward and hardly caused Unai Simon any trouble.

With a 2-2 draw between Croatia and Albania on Wednesday, Spain secured a place in the round of 16 with a win for matchday 3.

Group B wraps up the action on Monday with Albania taking on Spain in Dusseldorf and the Azzurri facing Croatia in Leipzig.

Spain will have to make do without Rodri for the match after the Manchester City midfielder received a second yellow card.