'Keyn's curse continues!'→'英 Runners-up for 2 consecutive times''''Invincible Fleet'Spain, England win 2-1'4th Euro Championship

Jul 15, 2024

The team that laughed at the end was Spain. Spain won the Euro 2024 final against England 2-1 at Olympiastadion Berlin in Berlin, Germany on the 15th (Korea time). The final has already drawn great attention even before the game, with England's first ever win and Spain's first challenge at the top of the Euro in 12 years. With this victory, Spain has risen back to the top of Europe for the first time in 12 years since winning in 2010, and has won four Euros. On the other hand, England finished second in both consecutive finals. REUTERS Yonhap News

The last team that laughed was Spain.

Spain won the Euro 2024 final against England 2-1 at Olympiastadion Berlin in Berlin, Germany on the 15th (Korea time).

The final has already drawn great attention even before the game, with England's first ever win and Spain's first challenge at the top of the Euro in 12 years. In addition, the two teams reached the final in this competition, but they also drew attention with relatively different performances. While England were frustrated with their best performance, Spain did not receive much expectation, but they came to the finish with excellent harmony between the old and the new.

With this victory, Spain has risen back to the top of Europe for the first time in 12 years since winning in 2010, and has won four Euros for the first time in history. On the other hand, England finished second in both consecutive finals.

England played in a 3-4-2-1 formation. Harry Kane is on the front line, and Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden are on the second line. Declan Rice and Kobe Mainu worked together in the third term, and Bukayo Saka and Luke Shaw were the wingbacks. The three backs were made up by Mark Gehie, John Stones and Kyle Walker. Jordan Pickford kept the goal.

Spain fought back with a 4-2-3-1 formation. Alvaro Morata on the front line, Nico Williams, Dani Olmo and Lamin Yamal on the second line, and Fabian Lewis and Rodri on the third line. Four backs were played by Dani Carvajal, Robain-Renorman, Eiméric Laporte and Marc Cucurella. Unai Simone wore goalkeeper gloves.

The game collided in the midfield due to a quick battle between the two teams from the start. The first team to take the lead was Spain. He aimed for England's loopholes by attacking the sides using Nico on the left and Yamal on the right. In the 8th minute of the first half, Williams shook the left side of the England penalty box through a 2-1 pass with Lewis, but was blocked by the fast cover of the defense.

England also launched a counterattack. In the 10th minute of the first half, the players who were advancing in the penalty box aimed for the ball from Bellingham's free kick, but the foul was pointed out by pushing Renault Le Mans in the situation.

Spain tried their first shot. Williams, who caught the ball from the right side in the 12th minute of the first half, advanced to the area close to the goal through a direct breakthrough and attempted a left-footed shot, but Stones, who was in front of him, cleared it out of the goal line.

England looked for a chance with a set piece. Saka, who received Foden's pass in the 15th minute of the first half, gave the ball to Walker, who was overlapping from the right. Walker crossed immediately, but it was caught by Renaud Le Mans. Unfortunately, the corner kick he posted afterwards was not directed to the players in front of the gate. In the 17th minute of the first half, Foden seemed to get a chance through a breakthrough in the center of the box, but Laport threw himself to block the shot opportunity.

Yamal also actively targeted England. In the 24th minute of the first half, Yamal caught an England pass mistake and advanced to the deep right of the penalty box. But the final shot was caught by the defense.

Kane was the main character of the first yellow card in the heated battle. In the 25th minute of the first half, Kane received his first warning when he hit Lewis' leg under his feet while trying to catch the ball in front of the Spanish penalty box.

Spain continued to try to attack through the right, where Luis and Yamal were located. Lewis, who caught the ball near the penalty box in the 28th minute of the first half, even tried to shoot in the box himself after moving forward, but the ball that hit the defense body was caught in Pickford's hands.

Spain also received a warning. In the 31st minute of the first half, Olmo's foot hit Rice's side during the competition between Olmo and Rice, and the referee immediately brought out a warning.

On the right, Yamal and Shaw's battle continued. In the 34th minute, Yamal attempted to break through Shaw's back space, but a cross was caught in Shaw's leg. Olmo's mid-range shot from a corner kick failed to penetrate the defense.

Stones embarrassed Spain with huge strides. In the 39th minute of the first half, Stones advanced directly to the right side of the penalty box arc and aimed for a Spanish defensive gap. However, after the Stones' breakthrough, the pass did not reach Kane, who was located in the center.

Morata failed to take advantage of a golden opportunity. In the 43rd minute of the first half, Laport's forward pass was directed to Morata, who was returning to the back of England's defense. Morata immediately entered the box and took the opportunity, but he failed to take advantage of the one-on-one opportunity under Gehi's quick pressure, and the ball went off the goal line.

England induced Spain's mistakes with strong pressure. In the 45th minute of the first half, Bellingham took Carvajal's ball under pressure. Kane's shot, which caught the ball, bounced off Laporte in front of him. In the ensuing free-kick opportunity, Foden finished Rice's cross with his left foot, heading straight to Simone and catching it without difficulty.

Both teams finished 0-0 without scoring in the first half.

At the beginning of the second half, Spain's key Rodri was replaced by an injury. Martin Subimendi was put on the field instead of Rodri.

Spain immediately scored the first goal. Yamal's flash stood out. In the second minute of the second half, Yamal received Carvajal's pass and advanced in front of the penalty box arc. Yamal delivered a pass that created the perfect opportunity for Williams, who broke through to the left in shooting and pass options. Williams grabbed the ball and attempted a low, fast left footed shot without hesitation, and the shot went straight past Pickford and shook England's net.

After the first goal, Spain pushed England with momentum. Olmo, who received Williams' pass from the center of the box in the fourth minute of the second half, even tried to shoot, but it flowed to the side of the net.

Morata missed his chance again. Morata received a through pass that Yamal stabbed in the 10th minute of the second half, and Morata caught the ball deep on the right side of the penalty box and even tried to shoot, but Stones cleared the ball heading to the goal. Williams' mid-range shot that followed also flew to the side of the net.

England made a replacement. In the 16th minute of the second half, he made an unconventional decision to remove captain Kane and put Ollie Watkins in.

Bellingham fought hard for the equaliser. In the 19th minute of the second half, Bellingham received passes through Foden and Saka and tried to shoot a threatening mid-range shot in front of the penalty box, but headed out of the goal line, not the goal.

Pickford's save helped him through the crisis. Yamal, who received Morata's pass in the 21st minute of the second half, attempted a left-footed mid-range shot directly from the front of the English box. Pickford, who flew, blocked the shot with his fingertips.

Spain has also replaced the front line. In the 23rd minute of the second half, Mikel Oyarsabal took the ground without Morata.

England's replacement Cole Palmer saved the team. In the 28th minute of the second half, Bellingham, who received the pass in a counterattack led by Saka, gave the ball to Palmer outside the box in the box. Palmer immediately attempted a low, fast mid-range shot, and the ball was straight into the corner of the goal.

Spain, which allowed an equalizer, began to put England under heavy pressure again. In the 33rd minute of the second half, Williams' cross in front of Walker was caught by Stones. In the 37th minute of the second half, Yamal, who caught the ball connected after a 2-1 pass between Williams and Olmo, attempted a powerful shot in front of the gate, but headed straight for Pickford.

Spain, which was knocking on the goal, turned the game around again. In the 42nd minute of the second half, Oyarsabal, who caught the ball in front of the penalty box, opened the pass in the direction of Cucurella on the left. Afterwards, Oyarsabal, who received a cross again, calmly pushed the ball in front of the gate and cut the England goal.

England, who allowed a turnaround, missed a dramatic opportunity. In the 45th minute of the second half, Rice's header and Gehi's header were blocked by Simone's good defense and Olmo's block just before crossing the goal line.

As England failed to score until extra time in the second half, the game ended with a 2-1 victory for Spain.

Lamine Yamal, who has played as Spain's top prospect, won the Euro Best Young Player Award after the game. Rodri, who led Spain's midfield, was selected as the MVP of the tournament. Six of the top scorers won the joint top scorers with three goals. Dani Olmo, Harry Kane, Cody Schoolboy, Jamal Musiala, Ivan Schrantz and Giorgi Mikawutadze were honored.

Meanwhile, England, which was considered the No. 1 favorite just before the tournament, finished second in two consecutive tournaments following the last Euro 2020, despite its decision to replace Kane early in the match, and its first-ever challenge to win the Euro was in vain again.

Kane also couldn't break the curse of no officer. He was tied for top scorer with three goals, but he couldn't laugh. Kane, who had been criticized for his poor performance throughout the tournament, was sluggish even in the final, proving himself the `curse of no involvement' surrounding him.

digh1229@sportschosun.com

'Keyn's curse continues!'→'英 Runners-up for 2 consecutive times''''Invincible Fleet'Spain, England win 2-1'4th Euro Championship

Sports