Spain v Italy LIVE: Result and reaction as Nico Williams skill forces own goal winner in Euro 2024 clash
Spain 1-0 Italy: Riccardo Calafiori’s own goal sends Spain into the knockout rounds
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Riccardo Calafiori’s own goal handed Spain a 1-0 victory over defending champions Italy as they booked their place in the last 16 at Euro 2024.
The defender’s misfortune 10 minutes after the break ultimately settled the Group B contest in Gelsenkirchen, although had it not been for the heroics of keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who made a string of fine saves, and the crossbar, which denied the impressive Nico Williams a deserved goal, the Spaniards would have prevailed in some comfort.
Spain would have been ahead within two minutes had Donnarumma not managed to tip Pedri’s header from Williams’ pinpoint cross over his bar, and the traffic was very much one-way throughout most of the game.
Relive the updates from Spain v Italy below.
Spain 0-0 Italy
48 mins: Bryan Cristante replaced Jorginho as half-time for Italy and immediately gets stuck into the action with a crunching tackle on Rodri who stays down.
He needs a bit of treatment before he’s ready to play on. Cristante goes in the book.
Second half! Spain 0-0 Italy
Here we go.
The ball gets rolling for the second half, Spain are hoping to get rewarded for their advantage in the first half, Italy hoping to sneak a goal and take the lead.
Let’s see how it all plays out.
HT Spain 0-0 Italy
This will be the 11th encounter between Spain and Italy at a major tournament, across the Euro (8) and World Cup (3), a record between two European nations.
It’s the fifth consecutive Euro tournament at which they’ve met going back to 2008, also a record.
HT Spain 0-0 Italy
Gary Neville insists Declan Rice needs to play further up the field after looking “nervous” in England’s draw against Denmark at Euro 2024.
Gareth Southgate’s side remain unbeaten and top of Group C on four points and on the brink of progress to the last 16.
But Neville is adamant Rice is not at the same level as some of the best holding midfielders in Europe when picking the ball up from the back line and claims Southgate could learn from how Mikel Arteta handled him for Arsenal towards the end of the season.
Neville highlights the problem with Rice after ‘nervous’ England display
The Arsenal midfielder struggled in the stalemate with Denmark with Gareth Southgate’s side unable to strike the right balance in Frankfurt
Half-time: Spain 0-0 Italy
There’s the half-time whistle.
Pedri and Nico Williams squandered huge early headed chances, and although Spain dominated the rest of the half, they were mostly limited to pot shots from around the box. Italy offered almost nothing, but on the plus side, they are halfway to a very useful draw.
Spain 0-0 Italy
45 min: Italy make a rare foray forwards and Federico Chiesa wastes the moment, lashing over from the right corner of the penalty box.
Spain 0-0 Italy
43 min: Italy are just a couple of minutes away now from the safety of half-time. They need to regroup and perhaps make a change.
Spain 0-0 Italy
40 min: Fabian Ruiz gets another shot away from range, but it’s comfortable for Donnarumma to collect.
Spain 0-0 Italy
38 min: The sting has been taken out of Spain’s play a little in the last few minutes, and Italy are enjoying a breather of sorts, passing the ball between themselves in defence as Spain sit off. For now.
Spain 0-0 Italy
35 min: ... but it comes to nothing.
Spain have been excellent everywhere but the Italian penalty area.
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