Williams sublime as Spain dominate Azzurri to win

As Nico Williams weighed up Giovanni Di Lorenzo in the early moments of the second half on a charged evening in Gelsenkirchen, the Italy defender must have felt as if his night was never going to end.

- JAMIE BRAIDWOOD

Williams had been everywhere but still had one more trick: Italy had compromised their gameplan in an attempt to finally subdue the thrilling Spain winger, but Williams carried the spirit of this young team and simply went again as he found the avenue to his left. A moment that had been building since kick-off finally arrived as Williams produced the cross that led to Riccardo Calafiori’s own goal. By the end, Spain had battered Italy 1-0.

Even as Luis de la Fuente’s side sealed their place in the last-16 with a game to spare, Spain deserved more. For the best part of an hour, they tore the holders Italy apart, led by Williams and his evisceration of Di Lorenzo. Spain really should have found the goals to seal a statement victory such a performance had merited, one of fearlessness that was summed up by irrepressible displays from their young winger Williams, and the even younger 16-year-old Lamine Yamal. Italy, who hung on long enough to threaten a late equaliser, were far from looking like the champions of three years ago.

In that, Spain earned some revenge for their semi-final defeat at Euro 2020, while looking like a more complete side from that tournament. La Roja are certainly more exciting and have more than matched Germany with their first two performances. But if the hosts have been carried on by their own sense of momentum, Spain are generating theirs. The joyfulness of Williams and Yamal to run and run, terrorising their full-backs, offers Spain considerable energy as well as skill. Spain were alive and electrified, all over the pitch.