Spain cruised to a 3-1 win over Italy on Friday that sees both sides through to the knockout stages at the Women’s Euros, with the Spaniards topping Group B to set up a showdown with hosts Switzerland, while the second-placed Italians will meet Group A winners Norway.
Spain finished top of the group with a perfect nine points from their three games, with the Italians second on four points, one head of already-eliminated Belgium, who beat Portugal 2-1 to snuff out their chances of advancing.
The swashbuckling football of the Spaniards has singled them out as the team to beat in Switzerland but once more they got off to a sluggish start before saving the day with some outstanding attacking play.
The Italians almost took the lead in the 10th minute when captain Elena Linari smacked a powerful header off the crossbar and seconds later they did score through Elisabetta Oliviero.
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Italy worked the ball in from the left flank and Martina Piemonte found enough space to squeeze off a shot that Spain’s Mariona Caldente tried to control, but she only succeeded in teeing up Oliviero to slam home the ball.
That jolted Spain into life and they levelled four minutes later as the reigning world and Nations League champions began to dominate possession, Athenea del Castillo working the ball in from the right before playing a brilliant one-two in a tight space with Alexia Putellas and firing into the net.
Patri Guijarro put Spain 2-1 up in the fourth minute of the second half and the Italians struggled to get out of their half for much of the rest of the game, with Esther González sealing the deal for Spain with a stoppage-time goal to make it 3-1.
Guijarro declared herself pleased with the business-like way Spain had secured the group win, even if there were things that could be improved.
“I’m happy for the three victories. The match was difficult [but] we are first in the group and now let’s go for the quarterfinals,” she said.
“They played very well. Those balls that we lost, there was a lot of space, so we have to run back as quickly as possible, we have to be more on top of the pressure after losing [the ball].”
Spain will take on Switzerland in Bern next Friday, while Italy meet Norway in Geneva on Wednesday.
