Aoba Tanaka 
Spain has clinched their place in the Euro 2024 knockout stages, emerging as Group B winners after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Italy in Gelsenkirchen. The decisive moment came from an own goal by Riccardo Calafiori, yet Spain’s dominance made them deserving winners.
Athletic Club’s star put in a stellar performance down the left-hand side, playing a pivotal role in the match-winning own goal. Spain, under the guidance of Luis de la Fuente, showcased their intent right from the start, following up on their confident win over Croatia on matchday one.
Within the first 10 minutes, they had already created significant chances, with Pedri and Nico Williams both missing headed opportunities. Alvaro Morata and Fabian Ruiz also came close before halftime, but Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma kept them at bay.
Italy, on the other hand, struggled to create any meaningful opportunities and didn’t register a shot on goal. The second half began in a similar vein, with Pedri firing wide from a promising position before Calafiori’s unfortunate own goal, which occurred after Donnarumma parried Morata’s header into his path.
The goal injected some life into the Italian side, but they were still unable to test Spain’s goalkeeper Unai Simon effectively. Spain continued to push for a second goal, with Lamine Yamal curling an effort narrowly wide and Williams hitting the crossbar with a powerful strike. Substitute Ayoze Perez also had two attempts saved by Donnarumma in the final stages of the game.
Spain’s solid performance and their ability to control the game effectively highlight their strength and potential as they advance to the knockout rounds. The victory over Italy cements their position as a formidable force in the tournament.
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