Spain qualified for the last 16 of Euro 2024 with a match to spare on Thursday after beating defending champions Italy 1-0 in a dominant display that ensured La Roja would go through as Group B winners.
Riccardo Calafiori’s own goal nine minutes after half-time was the difference between the two sides in the biggest match to date at the tournament in Germany.
But the slender margin of victory in Gelsenkirchen didn’t reflect a statement performance from Spain who completely nullified Italy and should have had the game won by half-time, as they did in their opening round thumping of Croatia.
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Nico Williams was the star for Spain as he ran Napoli right-back Giovanni Di Lorenzo ragged and supplied the cross from which the unfortunate Calafiori poked the winning goal into his own net.
“We have shown that we are a great team and we suffocate anyone,’ Spain captain Alvaro Morata said.
“It is very difficult to play against us.”
Luis de la Fuente’s team have a perfect six points at the top of the group and take on Albania on Monday knowing that they are already in the knockout rounds and playing like potential champions.
For Italy, Thursday’s deserved defeat was a reality check as vibrant Spain peppered the brilliant Gianliugi Donnarumma’s goal throughout the match.
“We misplaced too many easy passes and didn’t play with enough quality,” said Donnarumma, who made eight saves.
“If you make that many mistakes you are going to be punished.”
It was a performance reminiscent of the Euro 2012 final between the two teams when Spain crushed Italy 4-0.
However, all is not lost for Luciano Spalletti’s team, who are second on three points, as a draw with Croatia on Monday will be enough to guarantee qualification behind Spain.
“We created some situations with which we could have equalised, but they were much better than us,” Spalletti told RAI.
“They deserved to win.”
Spain could have been ahead twice in the first ten minutes, but squandered two great headed chances.
Less than two minutes were on the clock when an unmarked Pedri nodded Williams’ pinpoint cross straight at Donnarumma.
And then Williams, who had a field day against Di Lorenzo, was the guilty party by somehow heading wide Morata’s superbly delivered, inswinging ball from the left flank.
Spain were clearly on top as Italy struggled to get out of their half, Gianluca Scamacca toiling on his own up front with little support and wasting possession when it did come his way.
Donnarumma had to be at his best twice within a matter of seconds when he first stuck out a foot to deny Morata and then pulled off a superb fingertip save which kept out Fabian Ruiz’s powerful drive from distance.
Meanwhile at the other end of the pitch, Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon was a virtual spectator as Italy’s sole shot in the first half came just before the break when Federico Chiesa blazed a poor effort over from a difficult position.
The same pattern of Spanish possession and Italian defending continued after half-time and Pedri again wasted a great chance in the 51st minute, slamming wide after Marc Cucurella pulled back a perfect low cross.
But Spain got the breakthrough soon after and it came through more sensational play from Williams on the left, who made mincemeat of Di Lorenzo before fizzing across a ball which Calafiori couldn’t help but divert home.
La Roja went close to doubling their lead with two distance strikes from Morata and teen sensation Lamine Yamal, before the superb Williams smashed an effort past Donnarumma which came crashing out off the crossbar in the 71st minute.
Italy pushed forward in hope of an equaliser after Mattia Zaccagni and Mateo Retegui replaced the ineffective Chiesa and Scamacca.
But in the dying moments Donnarumma again made two superb saves to twice stop Ayoze Perez making the scoreline better reflect a one-sided contest.
Euro Wrap: Spain soar to knock out stage | 02:29
“I am delighted and proud not just with the result against a great side, the reigning European champions, but with the way in which we got it,” Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente told reporters.
“This is a very difficult competition.”
Elsewhere, Luka Jovic snatched a last-gasp equaliser for Serbia in a 1-1 draw with Slovenia on Thursday, keeping both teams in contention for a place in the last 16 of Euro 2024.
Slovenia looked on course for their first ever win at the tournament after Zan Karnicnik put them ahead in the second half, but Jovic headed in a corner in the fifth minute of stoppage time to haul Serbia level.
“We will not give up, the result came as a reward for believing. For many the match was over but for us it was not,” said Serbia coach Dragan Stojkovic.
Slovenia are on two points from two games in Group C going into their clash with England on Tuesday, while Serbia have one point ahead of their final match in the section against Denmark.
“Sport in general and football can be cruel but I believe karma will do its part for this team,” said Slovenia coach Matjaz Kek.
