Spain returned to Spain to celebrate the fourth European Championship in its history against the tough Denmark. She did so shaken by injuries, seven changes compared to the eleven in the Euro final against England. The casualties conditioned Luis de la Fuente’s lineup, as well as his football. His attitude did not diminish, represented in intense pressure, in the inspiration of Lamine Yamal and, above all, in the football of Martín Zubimendi. It is not a problem for the Real player to replace a totem like Rodri, leader in the game and on the scoreboard, scorer against Denmark to return La Roja to the top of the Nations League group.
1
David Raya, Álex Grimaldo, Aymeric Laporte, Pedro Porro, Dani Vivian, Martín Zubimendi, Lamine Yamal (Sergio Gómez, min. 92), Fabián Ruiz, Mikel Oyarzabal (Álex Baena, min. 61), Pedri (Mikel Merino, min. 61) and Álvaro Morata (Joselu, min. 77)
0
Kasper Schmeichel, Rasmus Kristensen, Jannik Vestergaard, Victor Nelsson, Alexander Bah, Morten Hjulmand, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, Victor Kristiansen, Kasper Dolberg (Yussuf Poulsen, min. 72), Albert Grønbæk (Rasmus Højlund, min. 77) and Christian Eriksen (Gustav Isaksen, min. 72)
Goals
1-0 min. 78: Martin Zubimendi
Referee Ivan Kruzliak
Morten Hjulmand (min. 22), Victor Bernth Kristansen (min. 84), Alexander Bah (min. 87), Victor Nelsson (min. 92), David Raya (min. 93)
The lack of rhythm in the midfield, with Pedri and Fabián empty of muses, forced Zubimendi, the axis of the team, to look at the wings. Football was more elaborate on the left, a symbol of the partnership between Grimaldo and Oyarzabal, which, on the right wing, represented the ability to attack (a lot) and defend (a little) of Pedro Porro and the talent of Lamine. Grimaldo woke up Schmeichel with a shot from the balcony of the area and then sneaked in to find Morata. The captain’s cross shot skirted the Danish goal.
The Reds were choked by Denmark, a well-worked team, represented in a well-assembled idea. The Danish team jumped without blushing from 3-5-2 to 5-3-2, an effective system to appear as the leader of the group, also to cover the Red midfielders and to at times tame the indomitable Lamine, the golden boy of Spain.
La Roja debuted its Euro Cup champion title in Spain, at the same time that Lamine wore the number 10 for the first time. It was not the best debut. In reality, his game was cloned with that of his teammates, at times reminiscent of La Roja football in Germany, at others, however, lost in a game that did not quite work out. He appeared and disappeared, more aware of the individual than the collective, always with his dribble at the service of a fan that vibrated every time the forward erased his markers to look for the Denmark goal. He didn’t find it after a brilliant attack into space after a pass from Porro; Yes, he did it with two mid-distance shots. In none, with success. Spain couldn’t find the goal and they had the return of their forward, Morata, who was absent during the last break.
The captain was insistent and hardworking as always, also cyclothymic as usual when it came to fine-tuning the sight. In Murcia the striker’s coin fell on the side of error. If in the first half he didn’t even find Denmark’s goal, in the second he ran into Schmeichel twice. The Red fans began to get impatient. An impatience without notable footballers, but with a request: the public wanted Joselu. And De la Fuente listened to the Condomina fans: the former Real Madrid forward replaced an applauded Morata. Before, the coach had already looked for more answers with the presence of Merino and Baena for Pedri and Oyarzabal.
Spain reacted thanks to Baena’s electricity and Lamine’s mischief. The goal, in any case, was not in Yamal’s boots or Joselu’s opportunism. I was in one of De la Fuente’s darlings: Zubimendi. According to the coach, the second best player in the world in his position. And, as he had already done in the final in Berlin, the pivot does not hide, on the contrary. When it seemed that only Lamine’s inspiration was capable of breaking the tough Denmark, Zubimendi surprised with a powerful volley a hand’s breadth from the crescent. The shot surprised Schmeichel: the leather slipped under his body.
Far from German football, but close to its people, La Roja won a hard-fought victory in Murcia. And there is nothing better to celebrate than Rafael and his great night in the New Condomina. This time, in Spain.
