Spain vs Italy: Euro 2024 Group B Clash

Key Moments

1. Early Save by Donnarumma: Within the first two minutes, Italy’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made a spectacular save from Pedri’s close-range header, setting the tone for his performance.
2. Nico Williams’ Dominance: Williams terrorized Italy’s right-back Giovanni Di Lorenzo, creating multiple scoring opportunities and eventually forcing the own goal that decided the match.
3. Calafiori’s Own Goal: The decisive moment came in the second half when Riccardo Calafiori turned Nico Williams’ low cross into his own net, giving Spain the lead.
4. Late Save by Donnarumma: In the final minute, Donnarumma made a crucial save from substitute Ayoze Perez, keeping the scoreline at 1-0.

Match Review

Spain secured their place in the last 16 of Euro 2024 with a 1-0 victory over Italy, thanks to an own goal by Riccardo Calafiori. The match, held at Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, was a showcase of Spain’s dominance and Italy’s resilience, particularly from their goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

First Half

Spain started the match with high intensity, immediately putting pressure on Italy’s defense. Within two minutes, Pedri’s header was spectacularly tipped over by Donnarumma. This set the stage for a series of saves by the Italian goalkeeper, who was the standout performer for his team.

Nico Williams was a constant threat on the right wing, outpacing Giovanni Di Lorenzo and creating several scoring opportunities. Despite Spain’s dominance, they were unable to find the back of the net in the first half, largely due to Donnarumma’s heroics and some poor finishing.

Second Half

The second half saw Spain continue their relentless assault on Italy’s defense. Pedri missed a golden chance early on, side-footing wide from close range. The breakthrough finally came when Calafiori, under pressure from Williams, turned the ball into his own net.

Spain continued to press for a second goal, with Lamine Yamal and Williams both coming close. Yamal’s shot went inches wide, and Williams hit the crossbar with a curling effort. Italy, on the other hand, struggled to create any meaningful chances, managing just one shot on target throughout the match.

Player Ratings

Spain

• Unai Simón (7): Had little to do but was reliable when called upon.
• Dani Carvajal (8): Solid defensively and contributed to the attack.
• Aymeric Laporte (7): Commanding presence at the back, dealt well with Italy’s limited attacks.
• Robin Le Normand (7): Strong in the air and composed on the ball.
• Marc Cucurella (8): Energetic performance, provided width and defensive stability.
• Rodri (9): The glue in midfield, controlled the tempo and broke up play.
• Pedri (8): Creative force, unlucky not to score.
• Fabián Ruiz (8): Dynamic in midfield, tested Donnarumma with a long-range effort.
• Nico Williams (9): Man of the match, his pace and skill were too much for Italy to handle.
• Álvaro Morata (7): Worked hard, but missed a couple of good chances.
• Lamine Yamal (8): Impressive performance from the youngster, nearly scored a spectacular goal.

Italy

• Gianluigi Donnarumma (9): Kept Italy in the game with a series of outstanding saves.
• Giovanni Di Lorenzo (5): Struggled to cope with Nico Williams’ pace and skill.
• Alessandro Bastoni (6): Solid defensively but couldn’t prevent the own goal.
• Leonardo Bonucci (6): Experienced but found it hard to deal with Spain’s movement.
• Federico Dimarco (5): Overrun by Spain’s wingers, offered little going forward.
• Jorginho (4): Ineffective, completed only 81% of his passes and was substituted at halftime.
• Bryan Cristante (5): Worked hard but was outclassed in midfield.
• Nicolo Barella (6): Showed glimpses of quality but couldn’t influence the game.
• Federico Chiesa (5): Anonymous for large parts, missed a good chance.
• Riccardo Calafiori (4): Unfortunate own goal, struggled defensively.
• Andrea Cambiaso (5): Played out of position, couldn’t make an impact.

Group B Table

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	GF	GA	GD	Points
Spain	2	2	0	0	4	0	+4	6
Italy	2	1	0	1	1	1	0	3
Croatia	2	0	1	1	2	3	-1	1
Albania	2	0	1	1	2	3	-1	1

FAQs

Q: How did Spain secure their victory?
A: Spain won 1-0 thanks to an own goal by Italy’s Riccardo Calafiori, following a low cross from Nico Williams.

Q: Who was the standout player of the match?
A: Gianluigi Donnarumma was the standout player for Italy, making several crucial saves. For Spain, Nico Williams was the most influential, causing constant problems for Italy’s defense.

Q: What was the key to Spain’s dominance?
A: Spain’s high pressing, quick passing, and the individual brilliance of players like Nico Williams and Pedri were key to their dominance.

Q: What went wrong for Italy?
A: Italy struggled to cope with Spain’s pace and pressing. Their midfield was overrun, and they failed to create meaningful chances.

Q: What are the implications of this result?
A: Spain secured their place in the last 16 as Group B winners, while Italy will need to avoid defeat against Croatia in their final group game to progress.

Next Fixtures

• Spain: Spain will face Albania in their final group stage match.
• Italy: Italy will play against Croatia, needing at least a draw to ensure progression to the knockout stages.