Bad, very bad performance byItaly by Luciano Spalletti who only lost 1-0 against Luis De La Fuente’s Spain, thanks to Riccardo Calafiori’s own goal, even if the result could have been much more rounded in favor of the Iberians who literally dominated from first to last minute. Only a great Gigio Donnarumma, author of at least 5-6 great saves, a crossbar and some gross errors from a few steps did not allow the Red Furies to win with more than a one-goal difference which would have been the right coin based on what we saw on the pitch of game.
Spain too beautiful but Italy too ugly to be true with De La Fuente who won the chess match with his colleague Spalletti who was not even able to find the countermeasures, during the match in progress, to stem the technical and physical impact force of the Iberians who dominated far and wide, displaying great football and many game ideas that suffocated the Azzurri midline, isolated the attack and put the defense in difficulty with Di Lorenzo being the worst on the pitch among Italy’s ranks, constantly missing by Nico Williams, man of the match and author of an amazing match. Italy had practically no chance to hurt the Red Furies and only in the final forcing did they manage to pour into the Iberian penalty area with a few scrums and a couple of corner kicks but nothing more.
Qualification still within reach
Despite this heavy defeat, however, Italy still has the possibility of qualifying for the round of 16, from second of group B. In fact, the Azzurri will only need to draw in the last match against Croatia to close on 4 points and in second place. In fact, a victory for Albania against Spain on the final day would not cost second place to the national team coached by Luciano Spalletti who won the direct clash 2-1 in the opening match. Certainly another performance will be needed against Dalic’s men who did not enchant in the first two outings against the Red Furies and against Albania who did a small big favor for Italy by finding the 2-2 in the 95th minute against the Croatians. The coach will have to find the right counter-moves to face Croatia who will play with a knife between their teeth as they will need a victory to gain a pass for the next round. Bad, very bad for almost all the Azzurri players with only Donnarumma keeping things going.
Spalletti’s admission
The coach Spallettiat the end of the match, spoke thus to Sky Sport’s microphones: “They were too strong and deservedly won. The difference was made by freshness, we often made delayed readings. The key to the problem is that we were below the level due to reaction and to regain low positions, we they created problems with the speed of choices. When I brought in fresher players we recovered in intensity and created situations to equalise. It depends on how we get there. If we don’t have choices about how to play the ball it becomes difficult.”
The match report
Second half
IT ENDS HERE! 1-0 FOR SPAIN THANKS TO CALAFIORI’S OWN GOAL! IBERIANS FIRST IN THE GROUP AND IN THE ROUND OF 16. THE AZZURRI WILL NEED ONE POINT AGAINST CROATIA TO QUALIFY AS SECOND IN THE GROUP
95′ – ITALY DANGEROUS IN THE FINAL: EARNS A CORNER…
ninety two’ – Another great advance from Cucurella: free kick for Spain. Di Lorenzo makes another mistake, a black evening for the Napoli winger, Ayoze shoots again: another great save from Donnarumma!
91′ – A very dangerous Ayoze goes to shoot: Donnarumma saves
90′ – There will be 4 minutes of injury time
89′ – Retegui wins a good free kick
88′ – Foul by Cristante and free kick for Spain
86′ – Ball served too low to worry Simon who makes the ball his own. Calafiori complains about a foul in the middle of the penalty area but Vincic continues
85′ – Italy now fights as they earn a precious corner…
82′ – Last change for Italy: Pellegrini out and Raspadori in
78′ – Double substitution for Spain: Morata out and Nico Williams best of the match, Perez in
74′ – Interesting free kick for Italy… on the ball Pellegrini who kicks badly and the ball ends up high over the crossbar
71′ – Double substitution in Spain: Yamal and Pedri out, Baena and Torres in
70′ – Nico Williams converges on the right and goes to shoot: top corner!
69′ – Foul by Le Normand on Zaccagni and yellow card for the Spanish defender
68′ – Williams irrepressible! What a match from the Athletic Bilbao player!
66′ – Nice break on the right by Cristante who escapes to Cucurella and puts it in the middle: Retegui doesn’t get there!
64′ – Two more changes for Italy: Chiesa out and Scamacca in Zaccagni and Retegui
61′ – Italy tries to relax but in the end everything is lost in the void
60′ – The Spanish crowd mocks the Azzurri…Yamal in the meantime goes for a shot with his left foot: the ball goes out by a whisker
59′ – Le Normand’s header: Cambiaso saves on the goal line
58′ – Spain again! Long range shot from Morata: Donnarumma saves himself in the corner
55′ – GOAL FOR SPAIN! OWN GOAL BY CALAFIORI! Williams puts it in the middle from the left, Morata heads Donnarumma’s header and Calafiori gets in his goal
53′ – Pedri from distance: Donnarumma sure
51′ – Great lunge from Cuccurella on the left that puts it in the middle: Pedri puts it out from an excellent position
50′ – Yamal tries to skip them all but in the end he is closed and Scamacca tries to go on the counterattack and partially succeeds as he then serves on the run, badly, Chiesa
49′ – Spain still under pressure: Italy still in trouble
46′- Off you go! Double substitution for the Azzurri: Cristante and Cambiaso come on for Jorginho and Frattesi. The Roma player was immediately booked for his first hard foul on Rodri and just a few seconds after he entered the pitch!
First half
45’+1 – Foul by Chiesa on Cuccurella and punishment for Spain. In the meantime, Rodri has been booked for protesting
45′ – Good opportunity for Chiesa who, however, is selfish and shoots from a difficult position. In the meantime there will be two minutes of added time
44′ – Frattesi fights like a lion and tries to move forward but is closed by Laporte: foul on the Spanish defender
43′ – Foul by Calafiori on Le Normand who falls and hits Dimarco’s leg
41′ – Another elaborate action by Spain with Morata who takes the ball, aims for three and then unloads on Ruiz who shoots from outside: central, Donnarumma saves
40′ – Five minutes until half-time: Italy defends very low, the Iberians dominate the pitch
38′ – Great play by Nico Williams who goes away well but is then closed well by Bastoni: the Azzurri are in total pain
37′ – Yamal and Nico Williams are doing the good and the bad weather…Italy is in serious difficulty.
33′ – Quite obvious foul by Nico Williams on Frattesi in mid-field: Vincic, a few moments late, commands a free kick for the Azzurri.
30′ – Very harsh intervention by Le Normand on Barella who remains on the ground in pain!
28′ – Absolute domination of Spain. Great ball movement from the Iberians with Carvajal arriving at the cross in the middle for the onrushing Rodri who goes to shoot: Bastoni rejects
25′ – Spain again! Shot from outside the area by Fabian Ruiz: Donnarumma flies and puts it in the corner
24′ – Another chance for Spain: save Donnarumma! Yamal causes panic in the penalty area, the ball remains in the possession of Morata who widens under pressure from Bastoni and tries the shot: the Azzurri number one saves
21′ – Dimarco goes to the left and puts it in the middle but his ball is too far back
20′ – Another intoxicating action by Nico Williams that is giving Di Lorenzo a headache: he clears the Jorginho penalty area well twice.
18′ – Calafiori ahead of Morata: Vincic stops everything and whistles a foul for the Iberians for a hold. Tax the Slovenian race director
15′- Gigio Donnarumma booked for protesting!
13′ – Barella starts the counterattack and serves Dimarco on the run who puts it in the middle: he frees Spain’s defense
10′ – Spain still dangerous! Yamal from the left delivers a kissing cross to Nico Williams who heads from a few steps away to take the lead and put it out! Another chance for the Red Furies
09′ – Nice deep ball for Scamacca who is contained by Le Normand: the Italy striker then tries the heel for Frattesi but gets it all wrong
06′ – Rough intervention by Pedri in midfield on Pellegrini: Vincic takes the free kick for Italy. The Roma player remains on the ground in pain
03′ – Williams is possessed in these early stages with Di Lorenzo dazed on the right: somehow the Azzurri are saved
02′ – Spain close to scoring! Williams goes away on the left and puts it in the middle for Pedri who heads well from a few steps: Donnarumma in the corner!
– GONE!
After the national anthems, minute of silence for former UEFA secretary Aigner who died at the age of 80
The official lineups of Spain-Italy
SPAIN (4-3-3): Unai Simon; Carvajal, Le Normand, Laporte, Cucurella; Pedri (71′ Baena), Rodri, Fabian Ruiz (94′ Merino); Yamal (71′ Ferran Torres), Morata (79′ Oyarzabal), Nico Williams (79′ Ayoze Perez). Technical commissioner: Luis De La Fuente
ITALY (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Calafiori, Dimarco; Jorginho (46′ Cristante), Barella; Pellegrini (82′ Raspadori), Frattesi (46′ Cambiaso), Chiesa (64′ Zaccagni); Scamacca (64′ Retegui). Technical commissioner: Luciano Spalletti.
Markers: 55′ aut Calafiori (S)
Warned: Donnarumma (I), Rodri (S), Cristante (I), Le Normand (S), Carvajal (S)
Referee: Slavko Vincic (Slovenia)
Stadium: Veltins Arena (Gelsenkirchen)
