Spain seal qualification to Euro 2024 knockout stages with dominant win over Italy | OneFootball

Spain are through to the knockout stages of Euro 2024 as the second side to confirm their place following hosts Germany. La Roja only managed a single goal against Italy, but they could scarcely have been more dominant in the match.

Luis de la Fuente was forced into a single change from the Croatia win, with Nacho Fernandez left out as a late precaution for Aymeric Laporte. It made little difference to them though, with Spain looking much more sturdy in defence against Italy. The only issue was they were much less clinical than in their first game.

Within five minutes, Pedri fluffed his lines from six yards with a header straight at Gianluigi Donnarumma. That came from Nico Williams’ good work, but he could not convert from similar range, flashing a header wide from Alvaro Morata’s cross.

He then forced a good save from Donnarumma, and Fabian Ruiz fired a howitzer from long-range, but the Italian goalkeeper was up to it again. At half-time, Spain were well in control, but level in the scoreline.

Concerns it could be ‘one of those nights’ were on the rise when Pedri skewed wide from close range, this time with his feet. But with Williams burning past Giovanni di Lorenzo once again, his cross first was flicked by Morata and then touched by Donnarumma, before Riccardo Calafiori inadvertently made contact with his knee and ahead went Spain.

Italy did have a brief ten-minute reaction, but without really threatening a quiet night for Unai Simon. De la Fuente sent on Mikel Oyarzabal, Ayoze Perez, Ferran Torres and Alex Baena to continue stretching Italy, and the Real Betis forward got in twice, but could not beat Donnarumma either.

A sound night of work for Spain, their performance is one of the best of the tournament so far. Clearly, the lack of clinical edge is a concern for a side without an elite goalscorer, but in terms of where to improve, de la Fuente will not have to spend long in the bunker analysing it. They face Albania on Monday, and know a point will see them qualify in top spot.