Spain were hung 1-1 by Poland on Saturday (June 19) and followed up a second draw in a row at the Euro after their inaugural 0-0 against Sweden, results which seriously complicate the task of hanging a ticket to the round of 16.
This time, Alvaro Morata scored… But the problem is that Robert Lewandowski too. Criticized for his clumsiness against the cages, the scorer of Juventus Turin opened the scoring for Spain (25e), but his Bayern Munich idol answered him when he returned from the locker room (54e), a few seconds before Gerard Moreno misses the victory penalty (58e).
Nothing is lost for the two selections, but the road is complicated: Spain, current 3e group E, will have to snatch a result against Slovakia on Wednesday for their last match of the group stage if they want to continue their journey. And for Poland, the last of the group, the mission is even more difficult.
For half an hour, it was believed that Monday’s scenario would repeat itself: a broad but sterile domination of La Roja, and scattered but serious warnings from his opponent. The difference is that this time the ball came in. On both sides.
Alvaro Morata’s goal
At the 26e minute, Gerard Moreno, the most prolific Spaniard of the season with 30 goals for Villarreal in all competitions, transplanted inside and adjusts a long grazing diagonal in the box which finds Alvaro Morata, managed to pass in front of Bartosz Bereszynski to push the ball in the cages. His goal is immediately canceled for an offside position signaled by the touch referee, but after watching the video, the center referee validated the goal.
Morata then threw himself into the arms of his coach Luis Enrique, who continued to defend him throughout the week as the Juventus Turin striker was blithely criticized for his clumsiness against Sweden.
After more than 200 minutes without scoring, the long-awaited goal finally appeared for the Spaniards. But the results are not so good. Because these same Moreno and Morata had two balls in quick succession in the second period to offer the final victory to their team … But they missed each other twice.
One minute after the perfect equalizer for the lead of the European Golden Shoe Lewandowski (54e), who won his duel over Aymeric Laporte, Jakub Moder crushed Gerard Moreno’s foot in the box. The referee went to his video screen and awarded the penalty.
Moreno took charge of transforming him himself, but his attempt crashed into Wojciech Szczesny’s left post, and Morata’s recovery didn’t even come on target.
Spain’s doubts
The warnings of the first half were not to be taken lightly for Luis Enrique’s men. Because as against Sweden, La Roja avoided disaster narrowly and several times in the first period. From the 6e minute, the heavy strike of Mateusz Klich grazed the Spanish cross. At the 19e minute, Lewandowski intercepted, escaped alone, and was only caught by Jordi Alba, who came in full swing.
And the main threat came shortly before the break: Karol Swiderski’s left strike hit Unai Simon’s left upright, who got up quickly and kept a firm hand to fend off Lewandowski’s resumption. The biggest Polish opportunity in the first half.
Result of the accounts: Spain, in full reconstruction, has only two points after the first two days of the Euro, and filled his head with doubts instead of evacuating them.
His future will be decided on Wednesday (6 p.m.), on the same lawn of the Cartuja in Seville, against Slovakia, defeated Friday 1-0 by Sweden.
