Spain won the highly contested group B clash in the 2024 European Championship courtesy of an own goal from Riccardo Calafiori.
Although Italy, the defending champions, had some spell of possession. Still, Spain came in handy as they created several chances that would have taken the game beyond Italy, but all thanks to Gigio Donarumma for saves that kept their hope of an equaliser alive.
However, Luis de la Fuente’s men did the job by restricting the Azurri to few chances to secure passage into the knockout round.
Italy are left with a huge task against Croatia in the final game of the group. They are currently second in the group with Spain on six points as they continue their perfect run in the competition.
As Italy’s game plan failed in a defeat to dominant Spain, a point with Croatia would be enough to go through in second place.
Both sides won their opening fixtures and fielded almost unchanged starting line-ups, and the game lived up to the billing as it became an end-to-end attack at a point.
Spain spent little time as they called Donnarumma with a big save after 90 seconds that saw him fingertip the free Pedri header over after Nico Williams stood up the cross.
The PSG goalie again used his legs to deny Morata from close range following the Lamine Yamal slalom while also getting a glove to the Fabian Ruiz scorcher from a distance, even with a deflection.
Spain missed another chance as Pedri fired a hook from 12 yards on the Marc Cucurella pull-back from the by-line.
Luciano Spalletti tweaked his formation by using widemen, Cristante, and Andrea Cambiaso in the second half, but this still needs to change the fundamental domination of Spain.
Spain finally scored with a bit of luck, as Donnarumma got a glove to Morata’s glancing header from the Nico Williams cross, but it ricocheted in off the knee of Calafiori.
Spain could have scored a second, but Cambiaso performed a goal-line clearance on the combined Calafiori-Pedro header after Donnarumma palmed a long-range Morata screamer over from a corner.
After Yamal’s curler went inches away from the far top corner, Italy got their first chance in the second half, but Mateo Retegui failed to connect with a Cristante ball flashing across the face of the goal.
Nico Williams, who was sensational in the match, saw his curler smack the crossbar at the far top corner, having beaten Donnarumma.
As they searched for an equalizer, Italy started to string some passes together in the final minutes while Spain protected their lead.
Despite removing Williams, who was a thorn in Italy’s flash, Di Lorenzo struggled with Ayoze Perez, who forced Donnarumma into two saves at the near post.
