Spain dominated Italy however solely had a solitary objective to indicate for it as they secured top-spot in Group B in Gelsenkirchen.
Spain bossed the opening 45 minutes and Pedri and Nico Williams spurned advantageous possibilities to interrupt the impasse whereas Gianluigi Donnarumma was in impressed type within the Italian objective.
9 minutes after the break Riccardo Calafiori scored an unlucky own-goal from a Williams cross however strive as they could Spain couldn’t discover a second as whereas Pedri missed one other sitter and Williams thumped the woodwork whereas Donnarumma would merely not be crushed.
Italy mustered somewhat late strain however now face a crunch conflict with Croatia on Monday to find out who will undergo to the last-16 as runners-up.
Calafiori personal objective breaks impasse 📸#EURO2024 | #ESPITA pic.twitter.com/XcGFdpKCSv
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 20, 2024
Spain dominate from the beginning
Pedri ought to have put Spain forward inside two minutes when he was left unmarked within the center to fulfill Nico Williams’ excellent cross from the left however his header was too near Gianluigi Donnarumma who made a flying fingertip save.
Williams was giving right-back Giovanni Di Lorenzo a torrid time on the left flank however himself missed a sitter from an inswinging cross from Alvaro Morata on 10 minutes, ghosting in direction of the again submit however sending his shut vary header flashing previous the close to upright in loads of area.
Lamine Yemal slalomed his means into the field earlier than feeding Morata who was pushed broad earlier than seeing an angled shot blocked by the toes of Donnarumma and moments later the keeper flew to his proper to tip over a rasping long-range drive from Fabian Ruiz on 25 minutes.
The Spain strain was unrelenting and Rodri first dragged a low shot broad of goal after which noticed a first-time strike blocked by Alessandro Bastoni after some slick strategy play.
Bastoni got here to the rescue with a well timed intervention to forestall Williams from latching onto a reverse cross from Pedri within the field whereas Fabian Ruiz whipped a first-time effort straight down the throat of Donnarumma 5 minutes earlier than the break.
Italy launched a uncommon foray ahead earlier than the interval however after being discovered on the precise flank by Nicolo Barella’s first time cross, Federico Chiesa drove in direction of the field earlier than lashing excessive and broad.
Extra of the identical for Spain
Half-time sub Bryan Cristante – on instead of Jorginho – went into the e book for a lunge on Rodri inside 20 seconds of the second-half kicking-off – the quickest ever reserving for a sub at a European Championships.
Pedri spurned one other wonderful probability when Marc Cucurella reduce from the left byline just for the Barcelona man to side-foot previous the close to submit with the objective at his mercy.
Pedri then fired straight at Donnarumma from distance however the impasse was damaged moments later when Williams danced to the byline and fired in a cross which glanced off Morata’s head and flicked the palm of Donnarumma, solely diverting the ball into the knee of Calafiori who couldn’t keep away from turning the ball into his personal internet from shut vary.
Morata stung the palms of Donnarumma because the onslaught continued and Andrea Cambiasso needed to hook a header from Robin Le Normand off the road earlier than 16-year-old Yamal curled narrowly broad from 25 yards.
A uncommon Italian break noticed Cristante flash a cross low throughout the face of objective however regular service resumed as Williams whipped a curling effort from the nook of the realm which cannoned off the angle of submit and bar with Donnarumma effectively crushed.
Inside the ultimate 20 minutes Lorenzo Pellegrini floated a 25-yard free-kick over the crossbar, failin to hassle Unai Simon, who was largely a spectator all through.
Aymeric Laporte – who was a health doubt earlier than kick-off – nodded over an Alex Baena nook as Spain sought to place the outcome past doubt.
Their incapacity to place the sport to mattress noticed Italy piling on some late strain with Cristante’s near-post flick from a nook being held by Unai Simon on 86 minutes.
Ayoze Perez was the final to be denied by Donnarumma after firstly tricking his means into the field and moments later latching onto a through-ball, however the keeper produced two advantageous low stops to disclaim him in a certainly common man of the match efficiency, although his try to attain a dramatic equaliser on the different finish from a stoppage-time nook was unsuccessful.
Spain face Albania in Dusseldorf whereas Italy face Croatia in a winner-takes-all conflict for runners-up spot in Leipzig on Monday night time.
