Mitfavorit Spain celebrated the first soccer fiesta and stormed into the knockout phase with its highest victory in a European Championship finals. Despite another missed penalty, the three-time European champions celebrated their first success at this tournament in a sovereign 5-0 (2-0) win against Slovakia on Wednesday in the glowing furnace of Seville and went into the second round with great self-confidence against runners-up Croatia.
After the lead through a slapstick own goal by Slovak goalkeeper Martin Dúbravka (30th minute), Aymeric Laporte (45th + 3), Pablo Sarabia (56th), Ferran Torres (67th) and another own goal by Juraj Kucka (71th minute) scored .) for the jubilation of the 12,580 fans in the Estadio La Cartuja. The furious “Furja Roja” celebrated the highest European Championship victory so far this time in the title triumph nine years ago – back then there was twice a 4-0 win, including in the final against Italy. The Slovaks were eliminated after the massive bankruptcy.
Driven by Corona returnees Sergio Busquets, the team of coach Luis Enrique, who put RB Leipzig’s Dani Olmo on the bench this time, was significantly improved. After two meager draws against Sweden (0: 0) and Poland (1: 1), the shooting festival could now be an initial spark for the title co-favorites.
Morata awards the penalty
In midsummer temperatures, both teams took it easy at the beginning – and yet the Spaniards could have taken the lead early. Jakub Hromada came in his own penalty area against Koke a tad too late, according to the video images, referee Björn Kuipers decided on a penalty.
After Gerard Moreno missed the point in the 1-1 draw against Poland, Morata grabbed the ball. But his shot was too unplaced and Dúbravka was able to parry in the Slovak goal. The last time the Netherlands missed two penalties within regular time at a European Championship finals was 21 years ago.
The hosts put away the mood damper, however, unimpressed and pressed vehemently on the opening goal. The 18-year-old Pedri missed a cross from César Azpilicueta by just a few centimeters, then Morata failed again with a dry shot from the edge of the box to Dúbravka.
The goalkeeper from the English Premier League club Newcastle United then became a big unlucky fellow. After a bar bang by Sarabia, the 32-year-old wanted to punch the ball over the bar just before the goal line, but, to the horror of his teammates, maneuvered it into his own net. It was already the seventh own goal in this tournament, which was later followed by the eighth thanks to Kucka – there have never been so many in a European Championship finals.
Dúbravka also looked unfortunate in the second goal of the clearly superior Spaniards when he ran a little disoriented through the penalty area and was caught on the wrong foot with Laporte’s header. This decided the one-sided game prematurely.
After the change, the Spaniards did not rest on the comfortable cushion, but continued to storm. The goals against completely overwhelmed Slovaks fell almost inevitably. So coach Luis Enrique should be right, who had said before the game about his team’s previous goal doldrums: “It’s like a bottle of cava that just has to be opened and then it gushes out.”
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