Euro 2020: Spain thump Slovakia 5-0 to book Croatia showdown
Updated On: 24 June, 2021 07:38 AM IST | Seville (Spain) | AFP
Spain were even about to progress as group winners until Viktor Claesson scored in the 94th minute against Poland to secure top spot for Sweden. Slovakia finish third and are out.
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Spain`s players celebrate their team`s fourth goal during the UEFA EURO 2020 Group E football match between Slovakia and Spain at La Cartuja Stadium in Seville. Pic/AFP
Spain finally have lift-off at Euro 2020 after a 5-0 hammering of Slovakia on Wednesday sent them through as runners-up in Group E, with Croatia their opponents in the last 16. Luis Enrique described his team as a bottle of cava about to be popped and they certainly exploded in Seville, where a scoring frenzy felt cathartic and could yet prove transformative for their chances in the knock-out stages. Spain were even about to progress as group winners until Viktor Claesson scored in the 94th minute against Poland to secure top spot for Sweden. Slovakia finish third and are out. "It`s obviously a relief, not only for me, but what it means when you insist on the same ideas and you can get the results," said Luis Enrique.
"The result comes at the best moment and prepares us for what`s to come." After two tension-filled draws against Sweden and Poland, Spain were left scrambling to qualify, with Luis Enrique admitting he would have taken any position in the group as long as it meant going through. But Spain ran riot at La Cartuja, their early anxiety heightened by Alvaro Morata`s missed penalty and then quickly eased by two dreadful mistakes by Slovakia`s goalkeeper Martin Dubravka. The first was an own goal that will surely go down as one of the strangest moments of the tournament before another Dubravka error allowed Aymeric Laporte to head in. With the shackles off, Spain let loose in the second half as Pablo Sarabia, Ferran Torres and another own goal from Juraj Kucka confirmed an emphatic win, even if Croatia and Luka Modric will provide a much sterner test next week.
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