‘La Roja’ defeated Italy with solvency and suffering and, going first, will play on June 30 against a third party, with the possibility of meeting Germany in the Quarterfinals.
BARCELONA — Spain is already in the round of 16 of the Euro Cup and will face a third-place team on June 30 in Cologne, it could be from group A, D, E or F. To find out the rival there is still a way to go, but the route guesses logically, a duel at the summit in the quarterfinals with Germany… A match that the host should fear, or respect a lot, seeing this Spain, which after overwhelming Croatia in its debut imposed its stripes on Italy, mastering it with solvency first and knowing how to suffer later.
Just and necessary to be the second team to get a ticket for the round of 16 and show their stripes. Soon, perhaps, to earn the consideration of favorite, Luis de la Fuente’s team must begin to be a candidate.
He didn’t score until the second half. And the goal was scored by Riccardo Calafiori on his own goal, ten minutes into the second half and when Spain, after an overwhelming first half, continued to subdue an Italy incapable of going ahead, taking advantage of the Hispanic weakness in the center of its defense and that seemed, almost, to settle for the equalizer.
Spain ended up, almost, asking for time, yes, but they did so after leading in an indisputable way. And the fact is that La Roja could, and deserved, go into the break with an advantage on the scoreboard. Their dominance during the first half was overwhelming, both in possession (over 60 percent) and in shots (seven to just one for the Azzurra) and if it had not been for Donnarumma the Hispanic team could have almost sealed their victory.
The PSG goalkeeper took a header from Pedri in the second minute, a shot from Morata in the 23rd minute and another from Fabián three minutes later, in addition to seeing another header from Nico narrowly go wide… It was a festival Spanish against the Italian resistance, until it broke, after Pedri failed again on goal at the beginning of the second half and Calafiori scored 1-0.
Tiredness and De la Fuente’s decision to breathe life into his team caused Italy to go from dominated to dominating, looking for an equalizer, but he still had arrests against Spain to increase his advantage, which avoided a huge Donnarumma , although he lacked the success of his teammates to avoid a defeat that will force the Italians to risk it against the desperate Croatia.
Spain, meanwhile, is already, and as first, in the round of 16.
