In the first European Championship cracker: Spain trumps big

For Spain's national football team, the European Championship in Germany started exactly as they had hoped. "La Roja" literally swept Croatia off the pitch.

June 15, 2024

From: apa/sportnews

The three-time European champions deservedly won 68.844-29 in the first tournament clash against Croatia on Saturday in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin in front of 32 spectators thanks to goals from Alvaro Morata (45th), Fabian Ruiz (2nd) and Dani Carvajal (3th+0) and are thus the first leaders in the tough Group B.

Morata became the first Spaniard to score at three European Championship tournaments. He rose to number three in the all-time European Championship goalscorer list (with Alan Shearer and Antoine Griezmann), with only Cristiano Ronaldo (14) and Michel Platini (9) ahead of the 31-year-old Atletico Madrid striker. Thanks to his 36th international goal, he has scored against Croatia at the European Championship in 2016, after 2021 and 2024. In 2021, the result was 5-3 after extra time in the round of 2, after the Croatians had won 1-XNUMX in the group stage five years earlier.

Yamal youngest European Championship player of all time

In the 67th minute, Morata had to leave the field injured, and later Rodri too. Lamine Yamal played until the 86th minute in a historic match. At 16 years and 338 days, the Barcelona striker is now the youngest player to play in the history of the European Championship. He replaced the Pole Kacper Kozlowski (17 years and 246 days) as the previous age record holder.

After Real Madrid's Champions League triumph, there was another Spanish highlight at the European Championships. Croatia's goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic was tested for the first time in the seventh minute when Morata tried to score. As a result, the 29-year-old was left in the lurch by his back line. The Croatians were unable to defend a through ball from Fabian Ruiz, and Livakovic had no chance against Morata's shot.

Croatia's Josko Gvardiol put in a lot of effort, and not just in this scene. © ANSA / FILIP SINGER

There was an immediate chance to hit back, but a shot from Mateo Kovacic was too weak (30'). The Spaniards, on the other hand, were very efficient. Fabian Ruiz was attacked too timidly by Luka Modric, Marcelo Brozovic and Josip Sutalo while dribbling and put the ball right into the corner. Another Croatian goal was in the air immediately afterwards. Unai Simon parried a Brozovic shot, and Lovro Majer's follow-up shot from a tight angle landed in the side netting (33'). In the 41st minute, a Gvardiol cross in the middle just missed a taker.

Spain, however, added another goal, which was initiated by a precise cross from Yamal. Carvajal ran free in the five-yard box and left Livakovic no chance with a direct shot. After the restart, the game went back and forth at the beginning. Yamal was stopped by Livakovic (52nd minute), while on the other side, full-back Marc Cucurella was able to block a shot from Stanisic in the nick of time while sliding (55th minute).

In this scene, Dani Carvajal scores Spain's third goal. © APA/afp / GABRIEL BOUYS

The Croatians would have deserved at least a consolation goal. This was also due to a mistake by Unai Simon, which necessitated a penalty foul by Rodri on Bruno Petkovic, who had just been substituted. Simon, however, corrected his mistake and saved Petkovic's penalty. Ivan Perisic brought the blocked ball into the middle, where Petkovic scored. However, the goal was not counted after VAR intervention, as Perisic had run into the penalty area too early. As in the 2023 Nations League final against the Spanish, which they lost on penalties, there was no happy ending for the Croatians.