DÜSSELDORF, Germany: An early Ferran Torres strike gave Spain’s second-string side a 1-0 win over Albania on Monday as the three-time champions finished the Euro 2024 group stage with a perfect record and the defeat eliminated their opponents.
Barcelona winger Torres finished off a fine move in the 13th minute in Duesseldorf to puncture the atmosphere in a stadium filled with a majority of noisy Albanian fans.
However, this game was not a cruise for a Spain team showing 10 changes to the side which started their 1-0 win over Italy four days earlier.
Spain had already secured top spot in Group B, but Albania knew they realistically needed a win to go through and that made for a frantic encounter at times, particularly as they pushed forward in the second half.
Despite their best efforts, Albania go home after picking up only one point and finishing bottom of a difficult section.
It is a regression for them from their debut European Championship appearance in 2016, when they also went out in the first round but did manage to win a game.
Beating a Spain side who have probably been the most impressive so far in Germany was always going to be a big ask for Albania, coached by former Barcelona left-back Sylvinho.
It is the first time since 2008 that Spain have won all three group games at either a World Cup or European Championship.
Coach Luis de la Fuente can now turn his full attentions to a last-16 tie in Cologne on Sunday against an as-yet unknown third-place finisher.
Center-half Aymeric Laporte was the only Spain player to keep his place following the Italy game, with key midfielder Rodri suspended and everyone else given a breather.
Goalkeeper David Raya, defender Dani Vivian, left-back Alejandro Grimaldo and midfielder Martin Zubimendi, all largely untested at international level, came in.
There was also a start for Jesus Navas, who was part of the Spain teams that won the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012, and who is now 38.
Even Laporte was removed at half-time, replaced by Robin Le Normand, while Lamine Yamal and Alvaro Morata also appeared in the second half.
Albania, ranked 66th in the world, knew it would be a big ask to beat Spain having lost all of their eight previous meetings.
Spain first threatened in the 12th minute when Mikel Merino’s header was saved by goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha, and a minute later they were ahead.
Dani Olmo stepped into the space between the Albanian lines to receive a pass, and then fed a measured ball in behind for Torres to latch onto.
The former Manchester City player timed his run perfectly and finished with precision too, his first-time effort going in off the far post.
Torres has made a habit of scoring at these tournaments, having netted twice at the last Euros and twice at the 2022 World Cup.
It took Albania until the final minute of the half to test Raya, the Arsenal shot-stopper flying to his right to parry a powerful strike by Kristjan Asllani.
Joselu hooked a Grimaldo cross just wide moments after the restart for Spain, before the Albanian fans raised the noise levels as they became aware of events in the other match.
They were very close to equalising when substitute Armando Broja met an Asllani free-kick and tried to lob Raya, but the goalkeeper saved.
Asllani then fizzed an effort just wide, and Broja was again denied by Raya in stoppage time as Albania bowed out.
Spain complete perfect Euro 2024 group stage as Albania go out
https://arab.news/nd46m
Spain complete perfect Euro 2024 group stage as Albania go out
- It is the first time since 2008 that Spain have won all three group games at either a World Cup or European Championship
Real Madrid run riot as Valverde treble stuns Man City
- Valverde completed a first career hat-trick before half-time with the best of his three strikes
MADRID: Federico Valverde’s superb first-half hat-trick helped Real Madrid demolish Manchester City 3-0 in a surprise Champions League last 16 first leg rout on Wednesday.
Los Blancos were missing several key players including Kylian Mbappe but Uruguayan midfielder Valverde’s stunning treble, netted inside a 22-minute spell, crushed Pep Guardiola’s team at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Vinicius Junior missed a penalty in the second half as Madrid could have built further on their significant lead ahead of the second leg in Manchester next Tuesday.
Even though Madrid are the record 15-time winners, their sketchy form offered little reason to believe they would pull off such a dominant result in what has become a modern Champions League classic.
City, who won the competition for the first and only time in 2023, even beat Madrid in the league phase and have strengthened since then.
However the Spanish giants produced their most convincing display of the season just when it mattered most to leave the Premier League visitors stunned.
“(It was) incredible, you dream of nights like this,” Valverde told Movistar.
“It’s been a long time since I enjoyed a game like this. I’m really happy but above all because the team won.”
Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa, shorn of injured stars Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo Goes among several others, started 18-year-old midfielder Thiago Pitarch after some recent bright displays.
Arbeloa said he was expecting a surprise or two from former Barca coach Guardiola, and the Catalan selected a particularly attacking line-up, seeking to capitalize on the frailties Madrid have exhibited this season.
Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi made their Champions League debuts and for an all-too-brief period City seemed to be settling in at the Bernabeu, before they unraveled.
“Now it feels really bad, now it feels really dark,” City midfielder Bernardo Silva told TNT Sports.
“Tomorrow is another day and for sure next week we will go to the game thinking we have a chance.”
Madrid took the lead against the run of play when Courtois thumped a long ball down the pitch in Valverde’s direction.
Nico O’Reilly misjudged it and the Madrid midfielder blazed through on goal. City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma came out to try and stop him but Valverde nipped around him and rolled home in the 20th minute.
Seven minutes later Madrid’s captain struck again. Vinicius Junior fed the midfielder who coolly drilled past Donnarumma to double the hosts’ lead.
Best for last
After a difficult first half of the season, consigned to playing at right-back mostly under Xabi Alonso, Arbeloa’s arrival in January has unleashed Valverde.
The 27-year-old snatched a last-gasp winner at Celta Vigo in La Liga on Friday and said that victory was one which had raised the team’s morale.
It appeared he was grasping for optimism ahead of the City clash in which most imagined Madrid to be underdogs, but Los Blancos played like a side who had found belief again.
Valverde completed a first career hat-trick before half-time with the best of his three strikes.
Valverde neatly flicked Brahim Diaz’s pass over the helpless Guehi and then volleyed home with aplomb as the Bernabeu crowd roared in delight. Finally they saw a Madrid they recognized, dynamic and, above all, competitive.
Diaz nearly netted a fourth soon after half-time but Donnarumma denied him, with City continuing to struggle after the interval.
Vinicius should have, after the Italian goalkeeper brought him down in the box, but Donnarumma read the Brazilian’s intentions and saved his low penalty.
Man City’s top scorer Haaland was kept quiet all night by Madrid center-backs Antonio Rudiger and Dean Huijsen, with Guardiola replacing him even while chasing a goal.
Instead City’s best chance to pull one back fell to O’Reilly as Pitarch’s focus waned, but Courtois made a stunning reaction save with his leg to deny him and secure a precious clean sheet.
“The feelings we were getting from outside were not of much confidence in this team, (but) we showed we’re Real Madrid and you can never count us out,” a proud Arbeloa told Movistar.
