In Pics | Euro 2020: Spain sink Croatia 5-3 in thriller to reach quarterfinal
Euro 2020: For the second match in a row, Spain scored five goals. The misfiring Alvaro Morata was on song this time as his team heads into the quarterfinals
This was the match of Euro 2020 so far. Spain found something extra to beat Croatia 5-3 in an eight-goal thriller that was decided in extra time. It was a wild afternoon at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, Denmark as the match left everyone exhausted – players and spectators alike. (Image: Reuters)
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There was no dull moment as both Spain and Croatia gave a peach of a performance. The 5-3 score-line is the second highest in the history of the Euros behind the 5-4 score-line of the 1960 match were Yugoslavia beat France. (Image: Reuters)
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Spain also became the first team in the history of the competition to score five goals in consecutive games. (Image: Reuters)
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It all started with a bizarre own goal from Spain in the first half. But they regrouped and were ahead by two goals towards the end of the second half when some resilient play from Croatia saw them level the match to take the game into extra time. (Image: Reuters)
Spain had let their two-goal lead slip away in the first 90 minutes, but a spectacular goal from Morata and moments later, by Oyarzabal, saw them restore their two-goal lead to take the score to 5-3 in extra-time. This time, they didn’t let it slip. (Image: Reuters)
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Spain was enjoying almost 80 percent of the possession in the opening 20 minutes and were creating plenty of chances, but it all turned in the blink of an eye when a horrendous error from Unai Simon saw Spain concede in the 20th minute without Croatia even attempting a shot on goal. Pedri sent a long back pass to Unai Simon, who makes a mess of it and could only watch the ball roll into how own goal. (Image: Reuters)
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Ferran Torres scored Spain’s third in the 77th minute. It all happened quickly. Gaya was brought down on the left side of the field near the half-line. He took the resultant free-kick quickly to find Torres on the right flank. He made a surging run forward, cut beyond Gvardiol and stroked the ball under the keeper. Spain were ahead by two! (Image: Reuters)
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Spain’s fifth goal also came from a break of play. Kramaric sent a vicious low driven shot, but it was saved by Unai Simon. Spain broke on the counter right after that with Morata sending Dani Olmo down the field, who then sent a cross into the box to find Oyazarbal unmarked with plenty of space and he finished clinically to restore Spain’s two-goal lead. (Image: Reuters)
