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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Alex Young

Spain 1-0 Italy: Dominant La Roja book last-16 spot thanks to Riccardo Calafiori own goal

Spain have booked their place in the Euro 2024 knockout stages with a commanding win over Italy, though the 1-0 scoreline did not reflect their dominance.

Riccardo Calafiori's second-half own goal was the difference, but La Roja missed a host of chances in an entertaining Group B game.

Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma kept his side in the game during the first half, tipping Pedri's header over and denying Alvaro Morata from a tight angle before producing a brilliant fingertip save from Fabian Ruiz's long-range effort.

Winger Nico Williams, who should have scored a simple early header, tormented Italy right back Giovanni Di Lorenzo and created the winner, sending a dangerous ball across goal which Calafiori deflected into the net in the 55th minute.

Williams almost settled the game in the 70th minute, crashing a shot against the bar, and Italy barely threatened an equaliser before a late spell of possession which Spain withstood with relative ease.

Additional reporting by Reuters.

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