Italy is through to the Euro finals! They beat Spain on penalties

Italy are the first qualifiers for the Euro 2021 finals, decided by penalty kicks in which Alvaro Morata and Dani Olmo failed. Only Manuel Locatelli was wrong.

Ferran Torres had the first chance of the match in the 15th minute, but missed the target. Five minutes later, Emerson passed to Ciro Immobile in a good position, but he slowed down the action and nothing came of it.

In the 25th minute, Dani Olmo fired from the penalty spot, but Gianliugi Donnarumma made a great save. The Spaniards were more active, but they were hardly able to penetrate the closed Italian defence.

In the 45th minute, the active Emerson shot from an angle but only hit the crossbar. The match was scoreless.

Sergio Busquets opened the second half with a shot from outside the box that just missed the top post by inches. In the 58th minute, Mikel Oyarzabal fired from distance, but Donnarumma made the save.

And two minutes later, Oyarzabal regretted it. Federico Chiesa got on the end of the ball and sent it to the back post. In the 68th minute, Domenico Berardi had an insurance shot, but Unai Simón parried his attempt with his legs.

The Sassuolo winger tried again in the 80th minute, but this time Simon was more successful. The ensuing break was the equalizer. Olmo found Alvaro Morata and he made no mistake.

That was the last chance of regulation time, so it went to extra time. It wasn’t very interesting, the more active Spaniards had very few shots and the winner was decided by penalty kicks.

In the first series both shooters failed, in the second and third they both converted, in the fourth Morata failed. The first penalty was taken by Jorginho and Italy went further.

Source: UEFA EURO 2021