Spain prevented an early Euro 2024 scare in opposition to Georgia to make it into the quarter-finals with a 4-1 comeback victory in Cologne.
Rodri cancelled out Robin Le Normand’s 18th-minute personal objective earlier than the break on Sunday, and a spirited Spain rallied within the second half to depart Georgia powerless.
Fabian Ruiz fired Spain into the lead shortly after the break, with Nico Williams and Dani Olmo ensuring of the victory late on to finish Georgia’s fairytale run at this European Championship.
Luis de la Fuente’s facet will subsequent face the hosts Germany in a marquee quarter-final assembly in Stuttgart on Friday.
Spain march on #EURO2024 | #ESPGEO pic.twitter.com/uBb3II7Zx7
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 30, 2024
Giorgi Mamardashvili was probably the most labored goalkeeper within the group phases, and he was known as into early motion in opposition to Spain, making two early saves to disclaim Pedri and Dani Carvajal.
La Roja have been shocked shortly after as they conceded for the primary time within the event – Le Normand was unlucky to show Otar Kakabadze’s whipped cross into the again of his personal web.
Mamardashvili remained alert when Spain upped the stress once more, getting down sharply to maintain out Marc Cucurella’s low strike earlier than pushing away Williams’ roller.
The Georgia goalkeeper was left helpless moments later although, when an unmarked Rodri picked out the bottom-right nook from the sting of the field for his first main event objective.
Spain survived an early warning after the break as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia audaciously tried to catch out Unai Simon from the midway line, however his hopeful effort bounced narrowly large.
Fabian flipped the script shortly after, peeling off the again of Georgia’s backline to thump a header previous Mamardashvili from point-blank vary following Lamine Yamal’s luxurious supply.
Yamal, determined to get on the scoresheet himself, virtually capitalised on a mistake by Georgia’s defence however dragged one other try narrowly large of Mamardashvili’s objective.
Giorgi Gvelesiani’s blushes have been spared by a good offside name as he turned one other harmful Yamal cross into his personal web, although Spain would quickly prolong their lead.
Williams raced ahead on the counter down the left flank, leaving his marker in his tracks earlier than rifling his right-footed rocket into the roof of the online quarter-hour from time.
Olmo added some extra gloss to the scoreline within the 83rd minute, latching onto Mikel Oyarzabal’s throughball to nestle his shot into the underside nook and ship Spain coasting into the final eight.
The children are alright
It might have been a few the older gamers in Spain’s squad that acquired the all-important objectives in Cologne, however La Roja’s kids continued to shine.
Yamal grew to become the primary teenager since Cristiano Ronaldo at Euro 2004 to help a number of objectives (two) at a single version of the competitors, whereas solely Fabian managed as many pictures because the winger’s seven.
In the meantime, Pedri made his fourth begin within the knockout phases of the Euros, probably the most of any participant aged 21 or below within the competitors’s historical past.
It’s the second time Williams has each scored and assisted in a sport for Spain, with the opposite additionally coming in opposition to Georgia in September 2023.
With Williams additionally getting his first help within the event, it seems like the kids are on track to maintain main the workforce ahead as they put together to satisfy the hosts in Stuttgart.
21y 354d – Three of the six youngest gamers to attain & help each in a single Euro sport ever are Spanish (Fabregas in 2008, Ferran Torres in 2021 & Nico Williams in 2024, all of them with 21 years previous). Proactive#EURO2024 #SPAGEO pic.twitter.com/mxPJu76GXT
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) June 30, 2024
Georgia’s fairytale reduce brief
After pulling off a surprising victory over Euro 2016 winners Portugal of their last Group F sport, Georgia got here into the final 16 with one other upset in thoughts.
It regarded like that could possibly be doable too, as they took one other early lead, all regardless of not having a shot within the sport as much as that time.
Mamardashvili had saved 21 of the 22 pictures on track he had confronted previous to Rodri’s objective, however he was helpless as Spain upped the stress on Sunday.
William Sagnol’s workforce exit with their heads held excessive regardless of their exit, after a debut event to recollect.