Spain secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Italy, a win that underscores their dominance and guarantees their place in the knockout stages of the tournament. Central to Spain’s success was the most in-form right-back in world football, Dani Carvajal, who not only excelled in his defensive duties but also made several forays in attack, operating high up the pitch to create overloads alongside Lamine Yamal.
Carvajal’s dynamic presence on the right flank was instrumental in Spain’s strategy. With 72 touches throughout the match, he was a constant threat, pushing forward to support the attack and ensuring Spain maintained control in the midfield. His link-up play with Yamal frequently left the Italian defense scrambling, unable to cope dynamic movement created by the Spanish duo.
One of the standout moments of Carvajal’s night was his key pass, a-well executed cut-back to Rodri, whose subsequent shot was unfortunately blocked.
Defensively, Carvajal was solid, particularly in transition. His awareness and positioning prevented Italy from exploiting potential counter-attacks, effectively neutralizing threats before they could develop. While Marc Cucurella had a busier night dealing with the dangerous Federico Chiesa on the left side, Carvajal’s disciplined performance ensured that Italy found no joy down his flank.
Meanwhile, Nacho, was sidelined due to muscular discomfort, which saw Aymeric Laporta step into the starting lineup.
It’s possible that with Spain’s qualification, coach Luis de la Fuente will play some more of the fringe players, like Joselu, in the final group stage game vs Albania on Monday.
