Spain kept themselves on course to win a fourth European Championship as Mikel Merino’s 119th-minute goal sent them into the semi-finals and eliminated hosts Germany following a pulsating encounter at Stuttgart Arena. This was the most anticipated match of the tournament so far as it put together the resurgent home nation against arguably the best-performing side to date at Euro 2024 – and it certainly lived up to expectation.
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Riccardo Calafiori’s own goal handed Spain a 1-0 victory over defending champions Italy as they booked their place in the last 16 at Euro 2024. The defender’s misfortune 10 minutes after the break ultimately settled the Group B contest in Gelsenkirchen, although had it not been for the heroics of keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who made a string of fine saves the Spaniards would have prevailed in some comfort.
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Spain made an emphatic start to their quest to win a fourth European Championship with an impressive victory over Croatia at Olympiastadion Berlin. First-half goals by Alvaro Morata, Fabian Ruiz and Dani Carvajal essentially settled the outcome before the break and, although Croatia offered little, this must still go down as a statement win for La Roja.
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Cole Palmer’s stoppage-time penalty denied former club Manchester City victory in a thriller against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. In a game of the highest quality in treacherous conditions, fortunes swung both ways. City thought they had the three points when Rodri’s shot from the edge of the area touched off Thiago Silva past Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez with four minutes left.
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Manchester City came from behind and Julian Alvarez scored two second-half goals as Pep Guardiola’s men began the defence of their Champions League title with a win against Serbian champions Red Star Belgrade. European Cup winners themselves in 1991, Red Star threatened a famous win when Osman Bukari put them in front at the end of the first-half.
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