itsbeautifuloutside

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Match Report

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⚽️ IBO Reporter: Spot51

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Referee: Francois Letexier (France)

Referee since 2016, UEFA since 2018. Took charge of the 2023 Super Cup (City v Sevilla). At Euro 2024, 2 group games and Spain 4 Albania 1 in the round of 16.

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Inside Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, England fans outnumbered their Spanish counterparts, but both were making plenty of noise. I watched the BBC commentary of the game but hopped between channels during the tediously long, ninety-minute buildups. Both stations’ token Spaniards were former Bats (Valencia) legends Mendieta and Mata. Then, I was with Messrs Mowbray and Shearer during the game.

The sides both had changes from their semi-final XIs. Spain brought back Carvajal and Le Normand after suspension. Southgate addressed one of his problems by replacing Trippier with Shaw. UEFA assumed Saka and Shaw would be wing backs, but when the game began, Shaw was at left back in a four.

Our main issue, Harry Kane, was still out there, so we were going into the final like a boxer with one arm tied behind their back. Any optimism I had evaporated when I saw the team sheet.

Things started well enough. Spain, of course, dominated possession, but Shaw stuck to Yamal like a limpet and largely nullified the youngster in the first half. England defended well in the early stages. A large contingent of Germans in the crowd routinely booed every time Cucarella was on the ball.

We saw little of England going forward until Jude went past Rodri and was hauled back. Shaw launched the ball into their box, but the Ref saw Guehi wrestle his marker to the ground and gave the foul.

Cucarella and Williams were dominating their side of the pitch, and on 12 minutes, the winger cut in dangerously. Stones got a block in to halt him, conceding a corner. England dealt with that but conceded another. Spain’s corners were mostly right “into the mixer,” and Rodri knocked this on, but Le Normand, arriving behind him, stuck it wide.

England had done little going forward, but on 14m, Walker’s cross forced a corner. This led to a short spell of England pressure, and Saka was able to find Rice on the edge of the box, but his shot travelled about half a metre before being blocked. Foden tried to weave his way into the box but he too was thwarted.

With Yamal neutralised, Carvajal opted to swing in a deep cross from that wing, but it was right into Pickford’s gloves. On 20m, Saka won the ball off Cucarella, leaving him in a heap and greeted by rapturous cheers from the Germans. Spain have undoubtedly been the best pressing side at these Euros, and when Foden coughed up possession, Olmo was quick to feed Yamal, but the youngster could not test Pickford.

Kane had done very little until his mis-control saw him catch Ruiz late and collect another yellow card. Spain continued to keep the ball and created a chance for Ruiz, but an English boot sent the ball looping into Pickford’s grasp. England’s rare forays forward usually involved Saka and/or Walker getting down the right, but there was never anyone in the box to pass to. On the half-hour, Olmo tried to reach the ball, but his studs came into contact with Rice’s ribs, and he also went into the book. Possession stats read 70/30, and it felt like it…

Another brace of corners for Spain were defended. The second dropped to Olmo, but he couldn’t get his shot away. Neither keeper had made a save despite Spain having more opportunities. Kane was too deep to be an outlet when we tried to play out, but when Pickford opted to go long, the Spain defenders always won the ball back.

On 40m, Stones carried the ball forward into their half and kept going. He was finally halted on the edge of their box by the sheer weight of their numbers. Rice then attempted a similar run, but Spain won it when he tried to offload it to Mainoo. Morata then won a corner off Stones, which was cleared.

For a while, Williams drifted over to the right alongside Yamal, forcing Rice to help out Shaw. England then got forward, with Jude finding Kane, whose shot was blocked. Laporte was down hurt as +2 minutes were shown. Then, Williams fouled Walker, and the free kick was curled into their box and nodded to Foden, who got a shot away. Simon smothered it at his near post, but it was on target! That was that. Halftime and still scoreless.

There was much celebration among BBC’s pundits when Rodri did not appear for the second half. Zubimendi came on to play beside Ruiz, and Spain kicked off. A minute later, Spain went ahead.

The ball was played out from the back to Carvajal on the right. He played a diagonal ball to Yamal, who had drifted inside Shaw and was able to run into space. He had runners breaking into the box but ignored them to pick out Williams steaming in from the left. Walker was too far away to close him down, so he tucked the ball across Pickford and into the net. 1-0 Spain.

They might have doubled the lead with their next attack, cutting through our defence, but Olmo dragged his effort wide. England looked rattled and Stones was next into the book for fouling Zubimendi. Spain turned the screw as Morata shot past Pickford, with Stones clearing up behind him. England failed to clear the ball with Rice’s punt upfield collected by Ruiz. He fed Nico Williams, who shot just wide of the post.

Shaw at least recovered some composure and broke up Spain’s next attack before, an hour of football too late, Kane was finally replaced by Watkins. Huge cheers from the England fans greeted his arrival. Walker took over the armband.

England move forward on the right until Saka is fouled by Williams. All the defenders come up, and then Foden sends in a nothing ball that is easily cleared. We are beginning to move with purpose at last, but why do we always wait till we are behind FFS? Jude then waltzes past his marker but sticks his shot just wide. Our next attack sees a hopeful forward pass, but with Watkins haring after it, Le Normand is finally forced to chase back to see it safely out.

If we have learned anything about this Euros, it is that Spain is a class act. With England finally getting forward, Spain has more space behind us, and Yamal is the first to benefit. The youngster collected a pass from Olmo and drove a low, hard shot that Pickford did well to save and keep us in the final.

On 69m, Spanish captain Morata leaves the field. The armband goes to Carvajal, and Oyarzabal comes on upfront. Soon after, Mainoo is withdrawn, with Palmer coming on. I’m not sure who, if anyone, was designated to play alongside Rice from hereon, as it looks like we have 5 up top!

Within 2 minutes, Palmer had levelled the score. A ball out of defence was seized on by Saka, who drove down the wing. This time, as he cut inside, he had 3 white shirts in the box. He selected Jude, who was surrounded by red shirts but had the composure to lay the ball back to where Palmer was arriving. Without breaking stride, Chelsea’s golden boy hit a low shot beyond Simon into the bottom corner, and it was game on. Nacho then came on for Le Normand.

For several minutes, we had a much better game as both sides competed at the same time. The Spanish looked less confident than usual, and the English fans were now making all the noise. We needed to score another soon.

As minutes passed, Spain regained their composure and got their passing game going again. England were again grateful to Pickford for saving from Yamal on 81m after Williams and Olmo had carved us open again. Pickford’s next contribution was a more comfortable leap to grab a cross onto his box.

Spain kept plugging away, and on 86 minutes, played out from defence, the ball reached Olmo. He played a straight ball to Olazabal, who played it wide towards Cucarella, steaming down the wing. The forward carried his run into the box as the ball was crossed low and hard. Bursting between the centre backs, the Basque got a boot to the ball and steered it in. 2-1 with 4 minutes left.

Foden was replaced by Toney and Yamal by Merino. England won a late corner on our left, which Palmer took. Stones met it full-on, and Simon did well to keep it out. Guehi headed it back, beating the keeper, yet Olmo was on the line to head it away. Rice had the third attempt, but his header went too high. The Spanish celebrated like they’d scored another.

There were four more minutes, which, frankly, flew by. Spain’s fans were singing their hearts out, and their bench was empty as the subs and technicians all prowled the technical area, waiting to get on the pitch. The final whistle—2-1 Spain, the 2024 Euro Champions.

You cannot argue they didn’t deserve it, but with the talent that spent the tournament watching from our bench, it was surely within our grasp to push them harder. Watkins and Palmer were probably our most effective players, and Shaw was miles better than Trippier.

Gareth has lifted England from mundane to competitive during his tenure, yet one wonders how good our players might be playing with the handbrake off. He is a decent coach and a lovely bloke, but I hope he decides to let a younger, more expansive coach take over our national side. Our players have so much potential but must be enabled to deliver on great football occasions.