Spain 2-1 Germany
A Euro 2024 blockbuster as the two most successful teams in the history of the European Championship squared up to each other in Stuttgart.
In truth, it could have been a final.
What was clear though was that whoever progressed would, in the process, dispatch one of their major stumbling blocks in the race to be crowned champions of Europe.
This was a challenge which German captain Ilkay Gundogan said he and his team-mates relished; this was a contest an improving Spain felt was within their capabilities, even on German soil.
Highlights of the game
There were two changes for the host nation as Emre Can came in for Robert Andrich in midfield and Jonathan Tah returned from suspension to take his place in defence, having sat out the 2-0 win over Denmark, a game where injustice raged, although that was not the hosts’ fault.
Spain, meanwhile, were unchanged from the side that was so slick and impressive against minnows Georgia.
Among their players delivering Euro 2024 highlights were young stars Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams and Pedri, although the latter suffered more injury misfortune just eight minutes in.
That was when Toni Kroos caught the 21-year-old with a high leg and left his opponent in some pain.
As Spanish manager Luis de la Fuente had words with one of the officials on the sidelines, it was game over for Pedri, a player who has sustained no fewer than nine injuries over the past three years – eight of them muscular – missing a total of 85 games for club and country in that period.
As he was replaced by Dani Olmo, the SBOTOP Euro 2024 betting odds may have altered slightly but you wouldn’t have known it as Olmo had an immediate impact with his direct and pacy running, later rifling in a shot which veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer had to parry.
Early in the second period and Alvaro Morata should have done more than lash high from a Yamal pass, yet moments later the breakthrough as Yamal rolled the ball perfectly into the path of Olmo and he swept a first-time shot into the bottom corner.
The Germans were always going to react and Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon was required to parry the ball as two home substitutes, striker Niclas Fullkrug and Andrich combined. Fullkrug then found Kai Havertz in space and his shot was blocked expertly by Dani Carvajal.
The impact of Fullkrug was clear and only the post denied him reacting quickly to a Florian Wirtz cross.
As the pressure grew, Havertz pounced on a poor Simon goal kick but his attempted lob sailed over the keeper who was off his line.
There were two minutes remaining when Wirtz, the Bundesliga’s player of the year for Bayer Leverkusen, reacted quickly to a back header from Joshua Kimmich and rifled in via the post to spark home joy and relief.
Two nations who have lifted the silverware on three occasions and are fighting for their fourth title could simply not be separated and so the tie went into extra-time.
It also extended the career, by at least half an hour, of Kroos who announced in May that he would be retiring post-Euro 2024 and, in the build-up to this showdown, former Real Madrid teammate Joselu Mato revealed his hope to end his career by this weekend in the nicest possible way.
Into extra-time and both nations went close to taking the leading within a few minutes of each other.
Spain sub Mikel Oyarzabal drifted inside and saw his strike bounce just inches wide of the far post.
Then Wirtz rolled the ball narrowly wide after being found by another replacement in Thomas Muller.
By the second period of extra-time, the contest had penalties written all over it but there was to be one more twist as Olmo’s cross found the unmarked Mikel Merino and he timed his leap to perfection to plant a header into the top corner.
There was still time for Ferran Torres to miss when clean through, Fullkrug to head inches wide and Carvajal to receive a second yellow card.
In the end though, it is goodbye to the hosts and Kroos against the country he has graced for a decade.
Viva Espana!
Key statistics
Yamal is the first teenager to record three assists at a single European Championships or World Cup (on record, since 1966).
Spain have lost just one of their 27 matches at the Euros when scoring the opening goal (won 22, drawn four) to Croatia in 2016.
Olmo is the first player to score against Germany in a European Championships knockout game while playing in the Bundesliga since the Czech Republic’s Patrik Berger (Borussia Dortmund) in the final of Euro 96.
Spain have only lost two out of their 12 meetings against Germany across competitions.
What’s next?
France or Portugal await the Spanish in the first semi-final next Tuesday (July 9).
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