Established 1961 15 Sports Monday, June 28, 2021 Spain’s Euro rejuvenation put to the test by Modric’s Croatia COPENHAGEN: The good news for Spain came all at Spain have faced so far, with their midfield of Luka once, their five-goal rout of Slovakia on Wednesday Modric, Marcelo Brozovic and Mateo Kovacic pos- steering them clear of an early exit and restoring hope sessing the guile to dominate the very best. they could even win Euro 2020. Luis Enrique said he But Spain do have a spring in their step again, no would have taken any position in Group E as long as matter how fortuitously they found it, and a victory in Spain got through and yet from desperation came ela- Copenhagen tonight would give them genuine momen- tion, a goal-fest in Seville transforming expectations tum too. It would represent the country’s first quarter- after a whirlwind 60 minutes. “Just like that,” came final at a major tournament since they were last Euro Marca’s headline on Thursday, while AS’s front cover champions in 2012. read: ‘Permission to believe’. “It’s obviously a relief, not only for me, but what it Whether optimism proves brief or longer-lasting means when you keep insisting on the same football will depend on the outcome tonight against Croatia, ideas and you see you can get results with them,” said the World Cup finalists who appear to be growing Luis Enrique. “The result comes at the best moment into this competition themselves. Croatia also quali- and it prepares us for what is to come.” COPENHAGEN: A combination of file pictures shows Spain’s forward Alvaro Morata (left) and Croatia’s fied in second place and will certainly offer a sterner midfielder Luka Modric. —AFP examination than Slovakia, who put up surely the Misfiring Morata worst performance of any team in all 36 matches of Morata’s finishing woes remain the chief concern, Torres showed again why his pace and threat has so of assuredness that only comes with experience. “He the group stage. with the 28-year-old perhaps the only player not to often been favored in the past. Marcos Llorente was produced a textbook performance in how to be a piv- They might have profited from Spain’s goal-scoring leave La Cartuja feeling rejuvenated. He stepped up to left on the bench but is still perhaps the squad’s most ot, offensively and defensively,” said Luis Enrique. angst had the floodgates not been so generously take Spain’s early penalty but missed, and then went penetrative attacking option. Luis Enrique admitted his Luis Enrique’s hope the bottle of cava will be opened by their own goalkeeper Martin Dubravka. off in the second half, only to watch his replacement four changes had been aimed at “shaking the hornet’s “uncorked” by Spain’s latest goal frenzy has not After Alvaro Morata’s missed penalty, Dubravka flap- Ferran Torres flick in at the near post 10 seconds later. nest”, finding a solution to “a kind of block, when the always bore fruit in recent months. Spain beat ping the ball into his own net was the perfect way to Luis Enrique picking Gerard Moreno to join, energy isn’t there”. Lithuania 4-0 in June before the goalless draw with calm Spanish nerves and why doubts still linger around instead of oust, Morata has felt like a workable com- But the return of Sergio Busquets in midfield was a Sweden. They thrashed Germany 6-0 in November Spain being able to navigate tougher tests to come. promise but with others now making their case, his surprise to nobody, Spain’s captain returning to the only then to draw 1-1 at home to Greece. Croatia will Their route to the final could be perilous. France are loyalty comes at a price. Pablo Sarabia was the stand- relief of everybody after missing the first two games be counting on a similar regression towards the mean a potential foe in the quarter-finals and perhaps Italy, out performer against Slovakia, his decisiveness and following a positive test for COVID. Busquets brought while Spain have to prove Slovakia really was a Belgium or Portugal in the semis. Croatia may be a precision in the final third as refreshing as it was poise to the midfield and leadership to a youthful team release, rather than a one-off. “We have confidence,” class below any of those but still a class above what impressive. that has been full of craft but arguably lacking the kind said Busquets. “This has to be the start.” —AFP national anthem with ample backing from the largely Super subs fire Italy Italian crowd, the Azzurri made a lively start. Leonardo Spinazzola’s buccaneering bursts from left- back were a constant threat and he had Italy’s first past Austria into sight of goal with a blast wide from an acute angle. Arena capacity Nicolo Barella’s low volley from Spinazzola’s quarter-finals cross forced Daniel Bachmann to save with his legs. increased for Ciro Immobile was inches away from putting Italy LONDON: Substitutes Federico Chiesa and Matteo ahead when the Lazio forward whipped an auda- Pessina struck in extra-time as Italy beat battling cious 20-yard strike against the woodwork with France v Switzerland Austria 2-1 to reach the quarter-finals of Euro 2020 Bachmann rooted to the spot. For all their posses- BUCHAREST: France and Switzerland will at Wembley on Saturday. The two teams were locked sion, Italy lacked the cutting edge to kill off the at 0-0 after 90 minutes in London, with Italy enjoy- Austrians. play their Euro 2020 last-16 clash in front ing the better of the first half and Austria coming of up to 25,000 people at the National LONDON: Italy’s midfielder Matteo Pessina scores the back strongly in the second period. VAR denies Austria Arena in Bucharest, UEFA announced yes- team’s second goal during extra-time in the UEFA terday, doubling the previously announced But Chiesa made the crucial breakthrough early Marko Arnautovic thought he had given Austria a Euro 2020 round of 16 football match between Italy in extra-time and another goal from Pessina set up a shock lead in the 65th minute when he nodded home and Austria at Wembley Stadium in London on attendance. “We can confirm that the quarter-final against the winners of Sunday’s tie from David Alaba’s header, but the former West Ham Saturday. —AFP National Arena Bucharest capacity was between Belgium and holders Portugal, despite late striker was ruled to be marginally offside after a increased to around 50 percent. The avail- drama. “We knew we had to suffer because Austria lengthy VAR review. Substitute Locatelli fluffed his able capacity will be approximately are the typical side who do not allow (you) to play chipped effort and Domenico Berardi sent a bicycle Pessina, who finished superbly before racing 25,000,” well,” said Italy boss Roberto Mancini. “The substi- kick well over as Italy’s frustration mounted. towards the corner flag and throwing himself on the tutes made the difference for us, but everybody gave The sides were locked at 0-0 at the end of nor- turf. But there was still time for late drama when UEFA confirmed in a statement ahead of their best tonight. I’m happy because the lads gave mal time but it did not take long for Italy to make Austria’s Sasa Kalajdzic stooped to head the ball in tonight’s match. European football’s gov- everything to win even when we were tired.” their mark in extra-time. The impressive Spinazzola at the near post from a corner with a little over five erning body added that the additional Having emerged as Group A winners with a 100 crossed from the left and Chiesa controlled the ball minutes to go. seats made available were sold “only to percent record after playing all three of their games and rifled home with his left foot five minutes into That was the first goal Italy had conceded since fully vaccinated people”. The permitted in Rome, Italy were on the road for the first time in the extra half-hour. “It’s never too late to come on October 2020, ending a run of 1,168 minutes without crowd at the stadium in the Romanian cap- conceding. But ultimately they did enough to win the tournament. Mancini made seven changes from from the bench,” said Chiesa after the match. “The ital for the tournament had previously the side that beat Wales as Marco Verratti started credit goes to the coach because everyone is always and in the process set a new national record of 31 been set at 25 percent of the venue’s instead of Manuel Locatelli in midfield, while Giorgio ready, we’re a squad of 26 starters.” games unbeaten. The side that failed even to qualify Chiellini again missed out with a hamstring injury. Italy effectively ended the tie 10 minutes later for the 2018 World Cup will fancy their chances of capacity. —AFP After belting out a rousing rendition of their when Francesco Acerbi shepherded the ball to going all the way. —AFP of that triumph and this time, without Eriksen, it is clear Denmark still have Dolberg and Danes an outstanding team driven by the desire to win for their stricken friend. “We have been preparing for this for a long time. We believed in each oth- er, we were optimistic, then Christian collapsed and that is where every- begin to believe in thing changed, for me at least,” Hjulmand said.