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Copyright © 2024 CGTN. 京ICP备20000184号
Disinformation report hotline: 010-85061466
Players of Spain celebrate their 1-0 lead over Italy in the UEFA European Championship group game in at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, June 20, 2024. /CFP
Europe beware – Spain might just be back.
The three-time European champions advanced to the round of 16 at Euro 2024 after a 1-0 win against reigning titleholders Italy on Thursday.
A 55th-minute own goal by Riccardo Calafiori settled the Group B game at the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen. But that didn't begin to tell the story of a statement performance from Spain, which surely marked them as one of the favorites to win a record-extending fourth European Championship.
"I think it was the best Spain performance I have taken charge of," coach Luis de la Fuente said. "I don't see a ceiling on this team. The sky is the limit."
Spain totally dominated defending champions Italy, with 16-year-old winger Lamine Yamal further enhancing his reputation as one of football's most exciting young stars.
Man of the Match Nico Williams also tormented Italy's defenders, and was the width of the crossbar away from scoring in the second half.
It took Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to keep the score down with a string of fine saves until inadvertently pushing the ball into the legs of Calafiori, who couldn't prevent it from ricocheting into his own goal.
"They deserved to win and we were never in the game," Italy coach Luciano Spalletti said.
Spain produced a throwback performance that brought to mind the years when it ruled international football while winning back-to-back Euro titles and the World Cup from 2008 through 2012.
Having failed to dominate possession for the first time in 136 competitive games in their opening 3-0 win over Croatia, Spain were back to their old ways in starving Italy of the ball and dictating play in a largely lopsided game.
Chances came thick and fast in the first half, with Donnarumma pulling off a string of saves to keep the score scoreless.
For all of Spain's superiority, it took Calafiori's own goal to break the deadlock after halftime.
Donnarumma pushed Alvaro Morata's glancing header into the legs of Calafiori, who could only watch as the ball ricocheted into the back of the net.
Williams was then millimeters away from extending the lead with a curling shot that hit crossbar.