Spain, Not In Pain This Time.

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Spain decided to get revenge on Italy for their World Cup defeat and what a time for them to get one back over Italy to heap on Italy their first defeat in 3 years.

The first match of the semi-final took place with Italy taking on Spain but the game was turned this time around as Spain won the game by 2-1 which even saw Bonucci receiving his marching orders in the 42nd minute to complicate the game for Italy.

Ferran Torres was the man on fire who delivered the two goals for Spain before Pellegrini scored a consolation goal for Italy and it was a little too late to stage a comeback for them. Spain got closer to the UEFA Nations League cup as they strolled into the final to take on the winner between France and Belgium - a game that saw a lovely comeback from France.

Both teams had their chances with both sides coming close to breaking the deadlock. It was an evenly contested match which we know would be down to just the tiny details. Spain made sure they nullified the threats from Italy but Italy should have won if they were more clinical with their chances and a notable culprit was Insigne who missed a sitter which you would have bet on him to score but he shockingly fired it wide.

Spain got off to a flying start after Marcos Alonso delivered a lovely ball into the path of Ferran Torres in the 17th minute and he managed to get a touch which steered the ball into the back of the net to make ot 1-0 - speaking of being at the right place and at the right time.

Spain would have gotten the second of the game after the goalkeeper; Donnarumma fumbled Alonso's thundering strike at the edge of the box but Bonucci was on hand to bundle the ball away on the line. Italy pressed forward too but Unai Simon made sure he protected his near post after Bernardeschi tried to catch him off guard.

The shocking moment of the goal came when Insigne was played through and with the goal at his mercy, his shot skewed wide. If you put the goal post side by side, he would have still missed with that shocking effort. It got worse for Italy when Bonucci received his marching orders in the 42nd minute.

Shortly after, just before the halftime whistle went, Ferran Torres was found again in the box and this time he powered home a brilliant header to send the ball to the angle the goalkeeper was coming from. It was expertly taken to give the goalkeeper no chance of saving it to make it 2-0.

Italy knew the game was slipping off their grasp and needed to inject more risk and daring efforts. This led to Chiesa racing down the right-hand side into the box. His pace was impressive but his angle was narrowed down which made his effort to rattle the side of the post instead.

Oyarzabal missed the chance to increase the lead to 3-0 after he was perfectly picked out inside the box only to have his header missed just by a fraction. Italy got their consolation goal in the 83rd minute after Chiesa raced on goal and he unselfishly laid the pass to Pellegrini after beating the goalkeeper. Pellegrini wasted no time in guiding the ball home to make it 2-1.

The game ended in favour of Spain who booked their place in the final.

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Thank you for your time.

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