Spain won three group stage matches at a major tournament for the first time in their history, after they came from behind to beat Italy 3-1 in Bern.
Italy stunned the World Champions when Elisabetta Oliviero gave them the lead after 11 minutes. But, Athenea del Castillo’s equaliser four minutes later got La Roja back on track, and second half goals from Patri Guijarro and tournament top-scorer Esther González concluded a comfortable night’s work for the Group B leaders.
With Belgium beating Portugal 2-1, Italy have earned the second spot in Group B. This means they also progress to the quarter-finals, and deservedly so.
The Lineups
ITA: Giuliani, Boattin, Linari, Salvai, Lenzini, Bonansea, Caruso, Giugliano, Oliviero, Cantore, Piemonte
ESP: Nanclares, Ouahabi, Méndez, Paredes, Fernández, Putellas, Guijarro, Bonmatí, Caldentey, Paralluelo, del Castillo
Italy start strong in Bern
Everyone in the ground was expecting yet another Spanish exhibition, but instead, it was Italy who got the early nudge, intent on upsetting the apple cart. A bit of intricate play on the Italian right set Sofia Cantore loose beyond Spain’s high line. The cross failed to find a target, but Italy were able to win the consolation of a corner. Elena Linari rose highest to meet it, only to see her thumping header crash off the crossbar with Adriana Nanclares stranded.
Spain were warned, but they failed to heed it. Seconds later, Martina Piemonte’s scuffed effort was mis-controlled by Mariona Caldentey, allowing Oliviero to steal in and score for Le Azzurre.
Spain were stung, but they responded immediately. A clever one two between Athenea del Castillo and Alèxia Putellas opened up the tinies of pockets of space on the edge of the box, but that was all the Real Madrid winger needed to curl an effort past the dive of Adriana Nanclares and into the top corner.
The pattern was set for the rest of the half. Spain dominant on the ball, as they always are, but Italy offering a consistent threat on the counter to keep themselves honest. One such counter threatened to gift them the perfect chance to retake the lead.
VAR giveth, and VAR taketh away
Cantore was having plenty of joy targeting Spain’s left side, and when VAR noticed that her cross was handled by Irene Paredes, a penalty looked certain. The ref was brought to the monitor, only for Cantore to be revealed to have been offside, nullifying any potential decision.
It was a cruel twist of fate, and Spain took full advantage four minutes into the second half. Del Castillo jinking run caused panic in the italy defence, Martina Lenzini’s woeful clearance landed straight at the feet of Patri Guijarro outside the box, and with the outside of her boot, curled a low effort into the bottom corner.
Against Belgium, this had been the signal to twist the knife, but this time, Spain went for lockdown, hoarding possession and crushing Italy with the weight of their territorial dominance. They easily kept Italy at arms length, offering the occasional pot shot that Laura Giuliani easily gathered. After offering so much fight and flair in the first half, the fire had gone out of Italy, as they rode out the game knowing results elsewhere were seeing them through, regardless of what happened in Bern.
Despite the casual descendance of play, Spain were still able to add a late flourish to their result. Deep into four added minutes, Alexia whipped an exquisite cross into the Italian penalty area that landed on the foot of substitute Esther González. Despite the effort being straight at her, Giuliani could only spill it, allowing González to tap in her fourth goal of the tournament and complete Spain’s perfect run in the Group Stage.
Cantore’s counterattacks catch Spain out
For much of the first half, Italy looked to be the first team to finally get the measure of the Spanish juggernauts. Recognising the space attacking left back Leila Ouahabi was offering them with her constant sorties, they repeatedly used the pace of Cantore as the primary avenue to get beyond the Spanish high line. The genesis of Italy’s goal can be traced back to one these counter attacks, and it was a ploy that they persisted with throughout the first half.
Unfortunately for Italy, Cantore was not able to time her runs consistently enough, and her failure to stay onside robbed them of the perfect opportunity to retake the lead. To defeat Spain, perfection is required in all areas, from the timing of runs to the conversion of the opportunities created. Italy had the chances in the first half, but once Spain re-organised in the second half, those chances never surfaced again.
All change, but no change for Spain
With qualification secured, Montse Tomé opted to gamble for her final game and rotated, with six changes to the team that crushed Belgium 6-2. Aitana Bonmati finally made her first start of the Euros after recovering from viral meningitis, whilst the defence saw a major shake-up with three players swapped out. The temptation to rest players for the knockout-round with qualification secured is always strong, but to do so carries with it a great risk.
Such level of changes can lead to a break up of the momentum a side may have had up to this point, or see them miss out on top spot in the group. Throughout the first half, Spain appeared to be off their usual best, the weight of the rotations holding them back, allowing Italy to test them more than any other side so far at Euros.
However, the gamble ultimately paid off. Spain have the luxury of possessing the highest calibre of depth in the tournament to call upon, and once they took the lead through Patri’s strike, there was little chance they were gong to relinquish it. With Aitana having completed the 90 minutes unscathed, Spain can now go into their quarter final with Switzerland with the luxury of a squad fully fit, on form, and looking unstoppable.
As much as Belgium and Italy both appeared to have briefly found chinks in the Spanish armour, neither were able to exploit them fully. Spain remain a quandary no opposing team can solve. By the time ones does, it will likely be too late to stop them from adding Europe to their list of conquests.
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