Italy vs Spain LIVE: Nations League result, final score and reaction tonight
Relive all the action from the San Siro
Spain ended European champions Italy’s world record 37-match unbeaten run as Ferran Torres scored twice in a 2-1 win at the San Siro stadium in their Nations League semi-final.
Spain will face the winners of Thursday’s other semi-final between France and Belgium in Sunday’s decider.
Torres put Spain ahead in the 17th minute, steering a left-wing cross from Mikel Oyarzabal into the far corner past Italy keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Roberto Mancini’s side, who beat Spain on penalties in the Euro 2020 semi-final in July, found themselves down to 10 men in the 42nd minute when Leonardo Bonucci was sent off for a second yellow card after elbowing Sergio Busquets.
Torres then sent Luis Enrique’s side in with a two-goal lead at the break when he was left unattended to head in another fine cross from Oyarzabal.
Italy ensured a tense end to a quality match when they pulled a goal back, seven minutes from the end, as Enrico Chiesa took advantage of hesitant Spanish defending, broke from the halfway line to the box and then slipped the ball to substitute Lorenzo Pellegrini to convert. Relive all the action below:
Spain reach Nations League final
Spain are the first to secure a spot in the 2021 Nations League final. They’ll be joined by either Belgium or France who compete in the second semi-final tomorrow night.
Kick off for that one is 19:45. It should be another cracking game.
Spain victorious in Italy
Six of the last seven Ferran Torres shots on target for Spain in all competitions ended in a goal. His brace at the San Siro tonight was the first time that Spain have scored two goals against Italy in an Italian stadium since November 1998.
Italy’s unbeaten run is over
Roberto Mancini’s Italy hadn’t been beaten in over three years, a run that lasted a world record 37 games. Mancini said before the match he was worried about the threat of Spain and he was right to be. Luis Enrique’s side end Italy’s unbeaten run.
Spain beat Italy to reach Nations League final
Spain are in the Nations League final. They’ll meet either Belgium or France back here in Milan on Sunday at 19:45.
Italy will face the loser of the other semi in the third-place playoff in Turin at 14:00 on the same day.
The second semi-final sees Belgium take on France tomorrow night with a 19:45 kick off.
Spain beat Italy to reach Nations League final
Spain did the hard work in the first half with two goals from Ferran Torres. Leonardo Bonucci’s sending off was a key point in the match but Italy dug deep to stay in the contest. Giorgio Chiellini’s introduction in the second half marshalled them from the back and they capitalised on an error from Pau Torres to get a goal back.
The closing stages were tense as Italy gave everything to find an equaliser but Spain’s quality on the ball was good enough to see out the match.
Great game. Just what you want from a semi-final.
Full-time: Italy 1 - 2 Spain
90+7 mins: Spain have won it! They’re into the Nations League final. Italy’s three year unbeaten run is ended!
Italy 1 - 2 Spain
90+4 mins: Aymeric Laporte clatters into Moise Kean as they both try to win the ball in the air. Italy are awarded the free kick and will have a chance to get the ball into the box. The foul occured just inside Spain’s half so it’ll be one last throw of the dice.
Calabria chips the ball into the box, Locatelli sprints after it but Unai Simon is there first and he smothers the ball.
Italy 1 - 2 Spain
90+2 mins: Gil is played into the right side of the box and has the chance to end the game. He prepares to shoot but is tackled by a sliding Di Lorenzo. Brilliant defending from the Italian.
Italy 1 - 2 Spain
90 mins: Five minutes of added time to play as Donnarumma belts the ball long. The Italian players are going down with the slightest touch trying to trick the referee into awarding them free kicks. There’s plenty of time for them to get this second goal.
Italy 1 - 2 Spain
87 mins: Gavi is off for Spain with Sergi Roberto replacing him. Roberto Mancini is gesturing wildly on the sidelines. Spain win consecutive corners but don’t utilise either of them.
Oyarzabal is booked for a late tackle on Calabria and Italy have the chance to boot the ball forward.
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