Group dream n Spain passed emphatically to “8”!
The entirety of it Luis De La Fuentebroke the six-year knockout curse and despite being behind on the scoreboard by Georgia thanks to a goal by Le Normanpulled off the upset in impressive fashion and by prevailing 4-1 qualified for the quarterfinals where the host, Germany, awaits her!
Stormy Spain had a total of 36 finals in their 99 attacks in the match with Yamal “raging” for another match, but without finding the net and the Rodri, Nico Williams and Olmo to find the net for the first time in this year’s Euro.
Georgia leaves the tournament with experience but also with a “heavy” score with its top player Mamardashvili who again had many saves in the match.
The match:
The match in Cologne was a Spanish monologue with De La Fuente’s team having absolute control on the grass, moving the ball around with ease and bringing it into Georgia’s goal posts with relative ease.
The first good moment came in the 5th minute when Carvajal’s cross found the oncoming Pedri in the area who sent the ball into Mamardashvili’s arms with projection.
Saniol’s players were put under a lot of pressure with the Iberians winning back-to-back corners with Carvajal missing a good time with a header at the front post.
Spain continued to press through successive corners they were winning, however in the 18th minute they suffered the shock! From an excellent counter attack by Georgia, the ball reached Kakabatze on the right, he crossed into the area where Kvaratshelia made a move and Le Norman sent the ball into his team’s net with his knee for 1-0 Georgia fire in the stands.
From that point on, Saniol’s team retreated and chased opportunities on the counter-attack with Spain on the other hand “tilting” the field. At 22′, the steadfast Mamardashvili said “no” to Fabian Ruith’s shot, while he did the same at 35′ to Koukoureya’s shot.
However, the Spanish pressure paid off four minutes later. In a siege phase, the Iberians released the ball and after a save by Mamardashvili on a shot by Niko Williams, the ball reached Rodri who with a wonderful shot equalized at 1-1!
The half ended with a forced substitution for Georgia, after Kiteishvili felt discomfort and was replaced by Altounashvili.
No changes, but with the same philosophy in the second half, both teams with Spain making their first final in the second half after 40 seconds, but Ruith’s shot was poor and went wide.
A few seconds later Kvitsa Kvaratshelia almost scored the most beautiful goal of the Euro and his career. The Napoli winger behind the center was closed by three players, saw Simeone offside and tried a brilliant shot to beat him, but the ball went wide.
However, two minutes later, a free kick was enough for Spain to complete the upset. Yamal won a free-kick in a very good spot which he executed, with Mamardashvili saving, but later in the phase, the young winger with a cross from the right found Ruith in the area who headed it 2-1!
In the 68th minute, Georgia missed a great opportunity to equalize and this was also their last in the match. Kvaratshelia found space and passed with a wonderful cross to Chitaishvili, he entered the area from the left and shot, but the finish was tragic as the ball went wide.
Spain found the back of the net in the 74th minute, but Yamal was offside at 1-2 with Olmo, but a minute later, Nico Williams “sealed” qualification with a masterpiece goal.
The young winger from Bilbao took the ball from Ruith’s pass, took a few meters, stepped into the area and after emptying a defender scored with a TERRIBLE place sending the ball into the sky of the home for 3-1!
But the Rochas didn’t slow down there either, since in the 77th minute Williams took the ball from the left and made a new pretense, laid it to Olmos, but he made a weak shot which was blocked by Mamardashvili, while in the 80th minute the goalkeeper of Georgia said again not to Yamal!
The “icing” on the cake came in the 88th minute. Dani Olmo took advantage of a mistake in Georgia’s defense and with a flawless left-footed finish set up the final 4-1 that sends Spain over hosts Germany in an early final!
The elevens of the match:
Spain (Luis de Le Fuente): Unai Simlon, Carvajal, Le Norman, Laporte, Cucurreja (66′ Grimaldo), Rodri, Fabian Ruith (81′ Merino), Pedri (52′ Dani Olmo), Nico Williams, Yamal, Morata (66′ Oyarthambal).
Georgia (Willy Chaniol): Mamardashvili, Kakabandze, Kasia, Gveleshiani (79′ Kvekveskiri), Dvali, Lohoshvili (63′ Davitashvili), Kiteshvili (41′ Atunashvili), Tshakvetze (63′ Chitishvili), Kotsorashvili, Kvaratskelia, Mikoutatze (79′ Zhivzivadze).
Source: Sport Fm
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