VIDEO: Euro 2024: Italy moves to 8th by snatching a draw against Croatia, substitutes Spain eliminates Albania

Mattia Zaccagni a égalisé dans les arrêts de jeu et a qualifié son équipe pour les 8es de finale. MAXPPP – ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH

Le groupe B a livré son verdict, lundi 24 juin, avec les qualifications de l'Espagne et de l'Italie.

Italy, reigning European champion and who qualified at the last minute on Monday evening for the knockout phase of Euro-2024 in Germany, will face in the round of 16 Switzerland's final on Saturday (6 p.m.) at the Berlin Olympic Stadium.

😱😱 LE SCENARIO EST INCROYABLE !!!
⌛️⚡️ Zaccagni ARRACHE l'égalisation à la toute DERNIÈRE MINUTE pour L'ITALIE d'un but SUPERBE !!
📈 La Squadra Azzurra reprend la 2eme place du groupe B#CROITA #beINEURO2024 #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/1JTnsVuixm

— beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) June 24, 2024

In a tough group, Luciano Spalletti's Italians took second place in group B behind Spain, thanks to their draw snatched in the last seconds against Luka Modric's Croatia, on the verge of elimination. The Swiss had won second place in Group A behind Germany, after the draw (1-1) against the host country on Sunday evening.

Spain performs flawlessly

With its substitutes, Spain, one of the favorites for Euro-2024, continued its flawless performance on Monday in Düsseldorf by beating 1-0 an Albania team limited at the start, then revitalized, and finally eliminated. Luis de la Fuente's team drew on its bench, but not really on its reserves, to complete the first round with three victories, no goals conceded and a welcome breather for its holders.

[🎞️ VIDEO] 🏆 #EURO2024
🔥 Ferran Torres, à la limite du hors-jeu, lance déjà l'Espagne !!
👀 Avec ce but, la France est virtuellement qualifiée en 1/8 !#ALBESP #beINEURO2024 pic.twitter.com/auLfggEfyJ

— beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) June 24, 2024

The coach had the peace of mind of someone who is already qualified, with first place in Group B secure, even before kick-off. He took the opportunity to see what his "hairdressers" had in the trunk. His team of reserves, with Aymeric Laporte as the only surviving starter, remained populated by players from Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, ​​Leverkusen and Leipzig, facing Albanians playing mainly far from the European summits.

Symbol of this great gap ? The Spanish goal was guarded by David Raya, the Arsenal goalkeeper, while the Red and Blacks relied on Thomas Strakosha, who played more with his selection at the Euro (3 matches) than with Brentford this season in the Premier League (2 matches). Of course, the impression of power given off against Croatia (3-0) and Italy (1-0) was less vivid, under the double effect of an unusual composition and less tough adversity. But the Spanish B team recited its score without a false note, with application and control, despite a few hot flashes, at the beginning and end of the match. –

Germany in the quarter-finals ?

After five first minutes in which the Albanians, pushed by their excited supporters, pressed as hard as possible, the wind quickly fell. Dani Olmo, the playmaker, found Ferran Torres, the Barça winger, with a pass between two defenders, who opened his left foot to find the net, his 20th goal in 44 caps.

Sylvinho's Albania waited until the 45th minute to get their first shot off, under the foot of Kristjan Asllani, but the Inter Milan midfielder's attempt was caught, with difficulty, by Raya in two stages. The claws of the “Eagles” were clearly sharpened in the second half with the entry of Armando Broja, the Chelsea striker on loan to Fulham, who forced the goalkeeper into two saves (64th, 90th+2). Spain's second-placed rearguard escaped with a few scares, but no scratches.

La Roja will continue its quest for a fourth European star, twelve years after the last one, on June 30 in Cologne against a third-placed team in the group whose identity is still unknown. If it passes this milestone, there will likely be a shock in the quarter-finals against Germany. Not a gift for the host country.