Spain 4-5 penalty kick. (0-0): Hero Simon gave a furious Rocha team their first ever Nations League title

Iconic captain Modric, robotic Perisic and relentless Kovacic were hungry for their first trophy in history after their participation in the 2018 World Cup final, but Spain has once again proven that they are in addition to a stellar past. Present and future.

The revamped Furia Roja, with Luis de la Fuente on the bench, is back in the Nations League final after losing in 2021 to France and this time it is fully in line with its appointment with history, to win 5-4 on penalties and to add another major trophy to the Her trophy bag after the first World Cup, the three European Championships and the Olympic gold medal she has boasted so far.

The absolute star of Iberia was undoubtedly Unai Simeon, as Athletic Bilbao’s goalkeeper stood tall in the Russian penalty shootout and made two stunning tackles in Meyer and Petkovic’s execution to give his teammates the chance (they missed their fifth penalty with Laporte) to add another important award to the country’s history.

the match

The two teams lined up with little changes compared to the two semi-finals they took part in 24 hours earlier. Zlatko Dalic made just one change to his line-up, with Erlik taking Vida’s place at centre-back for Sotalo in the Balkans 4-3-3 while Luis de la Fuente made two changes, with Fabian Root and Asensio as the new ones. faces in place of Merino and Rodrigo in the classic Furia Rocha 4-3-3 formation.

The first two dangerous periods in the first half were the signing of Spain and they were only two minutes away, as Levakovic lost the ball in the tenth minute from a Fabian Ruiz cross and saved it with an ally from the right post and the mind of her game Fiore Rocha. , Gavi, to ‘arm’ at 12′ but send the ball out outside the right post with a right footed shot from the half-circle of the big area.

The Croatian ‘answer’ was two incomplete attempts in the 23rd and 24th minutes, with Kramaric and Pasalic reaching shooting position but being overtaken and saved by Laporte and Le Normand respectively, with both teams finding an excellent first half. of tactics by neutralizing each other’s strengths.

Both moved the ball superbly (89% of Croats in accurate transfers, 90% of the masters in this category are Spaniards), pressed suffocatingly and mainly tried from the flanks to make cracks, with the match but no rhythm and Simon were found. And Levakovic does not have to undergo any major surgery until the end of Part 1.

The two coaches did not make any changes at the beginning of the second half, and until the 60th minute, the picture was the same and did not change as it was in the first 45 minutes, with the audience watching a fixed match from both wrestlers similar to a chessboard and match. Can’t find a rhythm.

In the 51st minute, Joranović was unable to capitalize on Perisic’s impressive individual energy after he was too far from the goal with a shot from an advantageous position, while in the 57th minute the Spaniards hid the ball with a pass but Asensio sent the ball over the crossbar. Header from the top of the penalty.

In the 61st minute, Pasalic took the sting out of Modric’s mouth and spoiled the shot that the great captain of the Croatian national team was about to take, and in the 66th minute Rodri hit a ball from outside the area that passed next to the right post. Levakovic, followed by the first two steps from de la Fuente, with Fati and Joselo opting to revive Rocha’s attack instead of Pino and Morata.

These moves gave the Iberians an attacking breath and in the next few minutes they gained yards on the pitch, Fati, Fabian Ruiz and Asensio flirting with a goal but could not find the goal, the Croats for their part not changing their plan, and to mainly focus on protecting their defense in search of finding a good time out. During Modric or Perisic who smokes gunpowder to “hurt” Spain.

The next big moment was for Spain again, in the 84th minute, but Fati saw the ball stop at Perisic’s feet from his own penalty area, where he was ready to celebrate, while in the 90th minute it was Asensio’s turn to take the ball. Cudgel on missed opportunities for De la Fuente’s team, missing a cross shot into the area.

Four minutes of stoppage time did not bring any cardinal changes, since both teams made sure of … on the lawn in regular time (the 10th match of the Croats goes into extra time in a total of 13 knockout matches that have taken place in their history).

Fatigue was more than evident in the players from the first minutes of extra time, with the first part of extra time going almost unnoticed and “come alive” just before the end, with Olmos’ 104th-minute strike going over the top of the bar despite it being in poor condition. Good and Brozovic stayed at 105+3′ ending up in Simon’s arms.

And the same scenario unfolded in the second quarter of extra time, with the weight of the players’ legs and their first concern was defense rather than attack, to leave the poor 0-0 and German referee Felix Schweiger whistled for the last time. Time and start the penalty shootout countdown.

There, Unai Simeon was a huge star, as the Athletic goalkeeper saved two penalties from the Croatians, Madjer and Petković, and gave Carvajal the opportunity to score his team’s sixth consecutive penalty to make it 5-4 to Spain and give them their first victory. League of Nations in their history.

Penalty kicks:

• Vlasic scores the goal… 1-0 Croatia
• Joselu scores the goal… 1-1 Spain
• Brozović scores the goal…Croatia 2-1
• Rodri hits the penalty kick… 2-2 Spain
• Modric hits the penalty… Croatia 3-2
• Merino hits the penalty spot… 3-3 Spain
• Simon saved Meyer’s penalty kick with his feet… the score remained 3-3
• Asensio scores the goal… 3-4 Spain
• Perisic walks in… 4-4 Croatia
• Laporte’s shot hit the crossbar… It remains 4-4
• Simon saves Petkovic’s penalty… The score remains 4-4
• Carvajal runs into the goal… Spain win 5-4 and win the Nations League

• Croatia: Levakovic, Juranovic (112′ Stanisic), Sotalo, Erlik, Perisic, Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic, Pasalic (62′ Petkovic), Kramaric (90 + 1′ Mager), Ivanovic (78′ Vlasic).
• Spain: Simon, Navas (97′ Carvajal), Le Normand (78′ Nacho), Laporte, Alba, Rodri, Fabian Ruith (78′ Merino), Asensio, Gavi (87′ Olmo), Pino (66′ Fati), Morata (66′ Joselo)

Nations League semi-final results

• Netherlands – Croatia 2-4 EQ, 2-2 etc. (34′ Mullen, 90 + 6′ Lang / 55′ Pen Kramaric, 72′ Pasalic, 98′ Petkovic, 116′ Pen Modric)
• Spain – Italy 2-1 (3′ Pino, 88 Joselou / 11′ pen. fixed)

small final

Netherlands – Italy 2-3 (68′ Bergwein, 89′ Wijnaldum / 6′ Dimarco, 20′ Fratezzi, 72′ Chiesa)

The grand finale

Croatia – Spain 4-5 on penalties (0-0 in regular time and extra time)