Italy 1-1 Spain (4-2 on penalties): 5 talking points as Azzurri edge La Roja on penalties on their way to the final | UEFA Euro 2020
Italy battled tooth and nail against Spain in the UEFA Euro 2020 semi-final for a spot in the grand showdown on Sunday evening. Eventually it was Italy who prevailed after penalties, with the match having ended level at a goal each after extra-time. As expected, Spain dominated possession for much of the game, but the Italians were efficient with whatever little of the ball they saw.
All in all, it was an enthralling encounter on display at the Wembley Stadium, and one could tell that the stakes were extremely high. This was a match that could have swung the other way very easily on another day, which says everything one needs to know about the competitiveness of the bout. Here are five talking points from the first of two UEFA Euro 2020 semi-finals.
#5 Morata goes from hero to zero for Spain
It came as a significant surprise when Luis Enrique named his starting line-up for the semi-final, and Alvaro Morata's name was not to be found. Morata has been Spain's go-to player upfront for the entirety of the tournament. As a result, many were taken aback when Enrique decided to demote his first-choice striker to the bench. Needless to say, Morata responded to this in the best manner possible.
With his team reeling having gone a goal behind and minutes away from a heartbreaking exit, Alvaro Morata came on with added incentive to bag another goal for himself. Immediately, he provided Spain with a focal point they had been missing all evening.
Ultimately, with 10 minutes of football remaining, Morata collected the ball from Aymeric Laporte before playing a neat one-two with Dani Olmo which resulted in the equalizer. Sadly, his effort in the penalty shootout was nowhere near as good, and ended up costing his team the match.
#4 Dani Olmo repays manager's faith
Having impressed off the bench in Spain's last outing, Dani Olmo was handed a start in tonight's match, and he made the most of his opportunity. He was arguably Spain's best player on this occasion.
He was a constant menace up top, interchanging positions and giving the Italian defenders plenty to worry about. His touch to beat the first defender was often crucial in the creation of most of Spain's good moments.
Unfortunately, he failed to keep his cool from the penalty spot in the shootout. Olmo's overall performance today, however, should not be forgotten as a consequence of the same. Luis Enrique took a big call in promoting him to the starting line-up, and it's one that should be seen as the correct decision.
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