The Spanish national team beat the Germans in extra time in the quarterfinals of the ongoing European Football Championship in Germany. Sports — about another Bundesmannschaft tragedy, a serious mistake by the chief referee and the merciless Furia Roche, which won all five matches at Euro 2024.
Final ahead of schedule? While the England team continues to be bombarded with criticism because of a boring game inappropriate for the main Euro favorite, and the French and Kylian Mbappe, who does not score, are written off, praise is being collected by two other teams who have shown their best form on the German fields from the first match. We are talking about the Germans and the Spaniards. The teams that scored the most at the Euro (ten and nine goals, respectively), maintain an excellent defense (three conceded goals in eight matches between them) and confidently deal with all opponents both in groups (Germany’s drawn match against Switzerland does not count), so and in the 1/8 finals. Where the Bundesmanschaft, despite the terrible bad weather in Dortmund, put the squeeze on the unyielding Danes, and the Furies Rocha showed a master class in being inspired after reaching the playoffs in Georgia.
That’s why it’s a shame that the exemplary teams met in the quarterfinals. The match in Stuttgart instantly received the poster «hidden final», and the fans — let's look ahead — one of the most sparkling confrontations of the current tournament.
The calm before the storm The start of the match was a real test for Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente. Toni Kroos twice grossly fouled Pedri (in the best traditions of Real Madrid's matches against Barcelona), and both times doctors had to go onto the field and provide assistance to the player. And if at first everything went well, then after the second touch the midfielder had to be changed — Dani Olmo came on as a substitute. Judge Anthony Taylor was surprised: Kroos, who was retiring from his career, definitely deserved a warning, but was never punished.
The loss of Pedri can hardly be called fatal. However, Spain could not find the key to Julian Nagelsmann's tactics in the first half of the meeting: the German coach left the Furies without the ball and confidently took control of the center of the field. But Germany literally had no dangerous moments at all. In Spain, the attacks went through, but the shots either targeted Manuel Neuer or were meaningless due to offside. In general, the match turned into chess and went on until the first mistake, after which the confrontation could “break through” and the cautious game would have ended.
And the mistake happened. In the 51st minute, the Germans slept through a devastating attack: 16-year-old Lamin Yamal after a pass from Alvaro Morata added another assist to his credit, passing into the penalty area, where Olmo rolled the ball low into the right corner of the German goal. Neuer didn't reach.
The game has come to life as expected! The Germans rushed to attack — while Jamal Musiala, the Germans' top scorer at the Euro, was looking for himself, and Niklas Füllkrug, who came on as a substitute, was covered by the defenders, Kroos took over the game. The 2014 world champion directed the hosts' attacks and, at the cost of a warning, disrupted the three-on-two. True, Germany organized great episodes at the end of 70 minutes of the match without the participation of the veteran: Robert Andrich’s shot was parried by Unai Simon, Kai Havertz was neutralized by a risky tackle by Dani Carvajal, and neither the goalkeeper nor the defense could cope with Füllkrug’s shot… The bar came to the rescue.
The Germans were even helped by the opposing goalkeeper. Simon lost the goal and remained in “half position” — Havertz, just throw it over! No, above the gate.
Spain sat down and paid. In the 89th minute, the Germans saved themselves and extended the meeting for another 30 minutes. The Spaniards botched the ending, which Thomas Müller did not take advantage of, but the younger Germans did. Joshua Kimmich won the duel in the air and threw the ball to Florian Wirtz — the best player of the last Bundesliga season, like Olmo, hit the far corner, bringing the stadium into ecstasy.
Spain was shocked by this turn of events — the favourites simply wanted to survive until the penalty shootout. Because Germany dominated until the 119th minute: Wirtz had a great chance, almost scoring a double, and finishing off a pass from Füllkrug. Also in the spotlight again was the blundering referee, who played for «La Furia Roja» and did not award a penalty for an obvious handball by Cucurella. Who was later sent face down into the turf by Kimmich with a hard tackle.
And again, no yellow card.
But the football lottery did not happen. It is ironic that in the end it was Germany that did not last until the penalty shootout. Olmo found himself on the left flank and crossed for Mikel Merino, who completed the cross with his head with a magnificent leap. The ball flew into the top corner — poor Neuer failed to save again. The cameras immediately caught Kroos finishing his career, and the six-time Champions League winner's face showed doom.
Füllkrug could have been the hero, but the ball flew past the post. Musiala could have become, but Carvajal chose to retire rather than let the German get to the goal… Half an hour ago, the jubilant fans are now wiping tears from their faces. This was the case after the Vienna final of Euro 2008, and it was the same in South Africa after the semi-final of the 2010 World Cup.
Euro 202405 July 2024 • starts at 19:00Finished (DV)
SpainSpain2 : 1
GermanyGermany
52' • Dani Olmo (Lamin Yamal)
119' • Mikel Merino (Dani Olmo)
89' • Florian Wirtz ( Joshua Kimmich)
The Germans haven’t beaten Spain for ten years Spain finally beat the hosts of the World/European Championships and, even despite Friday’s not the best performance and the refereeing scandal, beat the hosts of the Euro on the opponent’s territory and extended the unbeaten streak in the confrontation with the Germans to five matches (the Bundesmannschaft has not been able to win since 2014). Is this a serious bid to win Euro 2024? Undoubtedly. Now the main thing is to recover before the semi-finals, which will take place on July 9 in Munich.
Who will be the opponents of the Furies Roja? We'll find out in the next couple of hours: right now in Hamburg, France is fighting with Portugal, and Mbappe is fighting with his childhood idol, Cristiano Ronaldo.