Spain once again showed their credentials to aspire to the title of champion of Euro 2024, after overcoming a very adverse start in the round of 16 match against the surprising Georgia. This Sunday’s 4-1 in Colonia leaves the team led by Luis de la Fuente in a very good position.
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The Spanish have a perfect campaign in the tournament: they had already defeated Croatia 3-0, Italy 1-0 and Albania 1-0 in the group stage, and now they resolved in the best way what could have been their most complicated match of the tournament.
Georgia hit first, with some luck. He went ahead with an own goal, the ninth of the current edition of the Euro Cup, in the 18th minute: full-back Otar Kakabadze went on the attack and launched a cross towards the penalty spot. Robin Le Normand tried to intercept the ball, but what he did was send the ball into his own goal.
From that moment on, Spain gave a lesson in attack and made Georgia’s goalkeeper, Giorgi Mamardashlvili, a figure. But first he suffered in the rest of the first stage, until, in the 39th minute, Rodri finished from the edge of the area after a pass from Nico Williams to tie the game and give his team peace of mind.
Spain vs. Georgia
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Spain had a great second half against Georgia in the Euro Cup
Spain was already finding space and strength in the second stage, while the Georgians, as a result of the effort they had made to maintain the advantage, became exhausted and began to leave cracks that their rival took full advantage of.
One of the key players to change the situation and go from suffering to victory was Fabián Ruiz, who scored the goal for Spain in the 51st minute, after a magnificent cross from Lamine Yamal.
Georgia’s resistance was already diminishing. They even tried to push forward in search of a tie and left themselves open to another goal. And so it happened: in the 75th minute, Ruiz sent a long ball to the left and Nico Williams, who received the ball in his own half, began a long run until he reached the opponent’s area and broke Mamardashvili’s goal.
Spain vs. Georgia. Fabian Ruiz celebrates.
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Perhaps the 4-1 scoreline is a bit long considering the game. But Spain gave a lesson in strength with that fourth goal, in which Mikel Oyarzabal made a great pass to Dani Olmo and he finished at ground level, with great precision, to put the ball right in front of the goalkeeper’s right-hand post.
Spain showed that it is strong enough to fight for the title, but now it will have one of the toughest challenges of the Euro Cup: it will face Germany, another of the candidates, on Friday in Stuttgart.
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