Euro 2024: Spain impress again – but get helping hand from Italy to seal last-16 spot

Spanish could have had the match won before Italy suffer stroke of misfortune in the tournament’s biggest match to date

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Italy (in white) are outnumbered on a night when Spain gave a statement of intent. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 5:35am, 21 Jun 2024Updated: 5:50am, 21 Jun 2024

Spain qualified for the last 16 of Euro 2024 with a match to spare on Thursday after beating Italy 1-0 in a dominant display which ensured that 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 at Gelsenkirchen in the biggest match to date at the tournament in Germany.

But the slender margin of victory did not 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.

Spain’s Nico Williams (right) puts pressure on Italy’s Giovanni di Lorenzo in Gelsenkirchen. Photo: EPA-EFE

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.

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 while the Azzurri failed to have a single attempt on target.

It was a performance reminiscent of the Euro 2012 final between the two teams when Spain crushed Italy 4-0 in the last international hurrah for tiki-taka football.

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.