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MOTD- Spain 1-0 Italy

By on March 5, 2014

If it was even possible for Spain to pull off a more comprehensive victory than they did in their 4-0 win over Italy in the 2012 Euro final, they definitely pulled it off as they played host in the rematch of that final in their last major friendly before the World Cup this summer. With a full 70% possession and 21 shots Spain utterly controlled Cesare Prandelli’s side at Atletico Madrid’s Vincente Calderon, leaving the only surprise in the match being the fact that Vicente del Bosque’s side scored only a single goal. In short, it was a classic Spain win.

However, unlike most matches the win entitles the home side to bragging rights heading into the most important tournament of all, the World Cup. Yet hose rights had to he fought for and scraped away from Italy, who put in a strong defensive performance to keep themselves from an embarrassment. The visitors were barely holding on right from the opening whistle, and nearly went down when Pedro snapped a shot into the arms of Gianluigi Buffon just six minutes in.

As Spain continued to push forward Italy somehow managed to hang on, with Prandelli’s side seeing very few chances come their way.  While Dani Osvaldo sent a whistling effort inches wide from the edge of the box in the twenty-ninth minute it was the only shot Italy had in the entire first half and utterly failed in changing the flow of the match away from Spain’s favor.

In fact, when La Roja came out for the second half they were even stronger than before.  The home side would have broken the deadlock only five minutes into the second period but not for a brilliant Buffon stop with the underside of the goalkeeper’s arm to turn wide the curler which Thiago Alcantara, who had been slipped in down the left side of the box by David Silva, sent towards the bottom post.  Silva then cracked a volley into the ground and wide from the edge of the box, but Spain finally managed to open the scoring in the sixty-second minute.  Andres Iniesta’s flicked back-heel pass was shuffled into the path of Pedro, who slammed a first time effort squirting Buffon into the back of the net from ten yards out.  The goal seemed to suck the life out of Italy, which basically accepted the loss and allowed for the final half hour of the match to drift by with Spain steadily in control.  Diego Costa sliced a low shot just wide of the post with eight minutes to go yet it seemed as if Spain was also content with the scoreline, letting the clock run down to the final whistle.  Honestly, that was the only odd part of what was otherwise a classic Spain win.
Man of the Match: David Silva

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.