Late Oyarzabal winner for Spain crushes England Euro 2024 dream

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Martin Rogers

FOX Sports Insider

BERLIN — Substitute Mikel Oyarzabal broke England’s hearts on Sunday, sliding home a 86th minute winner to clinch Euro 2024 for Spain in a dramatic final at the Olympic Stadium.

After the spectacular young duo of Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal earlier combined for Spain’s opening goal just after half-time, sub Cole Palmer brought England back into it with a well-taken equalizer after 73 minutes.

And then, a breathless final few moments. Left-back Marc Cucurella surged forwards and slid the ball across the box, where it was met by Oyarzabal, who had been introduced at half-time to replace injured influential midfielder Rodri.

England, finalist at Euro 2020 and still awaiting its first major trophy since 1966, was crushed. Yet, there was still more to come.

Semifinal hero Ollie Watkins had a chance when he was found clear in the box but could not control it neatly enough, then a frenetic passage saw Unai Simon parry a Declan Rice header, Marc Guehi’s effort from the rebound was cleared off the line by Dani Olmo, then Rice aimed another header off target.

Electrifying throughout the tournament from their positions on each wing for Luis de la Fuente’s side, Yamal and Williams teamed up to finally broke down England’s tight defensive set-up just after half-time.

Having been largely kept in check by Luke Shaw during the opening period, Yamal, who only turned 17 on Saturday, got himself on the defender’s other side and advanced toward goal in the 47th minute.

Williams’ goal Spain on a path for its seventh-straight win in the competition, the first time a team has achieved that feat.

Spain came in as the tournament’s top scorer with 13 goals, while England had managed seven on its dramatic run through the knockout round, with a late escape act against Slovakia, a penalty shootout against Switzerland, and a final minute winner from Ollie Watkins in the semifinal against the Netherlands.

The early stages were tight and cagey, a tactical battle between de la Fuente and Southgate, much of the chess match taking place on England’s right/Spain’s left, where Bukayo Saka and Nico Williams were both asked to put in exhausting shifts involving creating attacks and assisting defensively.

Chances were few and far between, a couple of dangerous runs into the box from Williams and Alvaro Morata required swift action from John Stones and Guehi respectively.

At the other end, Phil Foden connected with a free kick at the back post but couldn’t get enough weight on it, allowing Unai Simon to collect comfortably.

Neither team wanted to back down physically, and it’s not in their nature to do so. Captain Harry Kane received a yellow card for England with a challenge where he got the ball but kept his studs too high and connected with Fabian Ruiz.

The game plans were become clearer. England started Luke Shaw for the first time in the tournament, surely reasoning that he was best equipped to deal with 17-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal, while Spain ensured that any time Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham got the ball, he was surrounded by a grouping of red jerseys.

After Williams scored, England again had to find an answer. For a while, it looked like they had, just like in each of its previous knockout round games here in Germany.

In the round of 16, Jude Bellingham’s bicycle kick saved England against Slovakia. In the quarterfinal against Switzerland, Bukayo Saka equalized late. In the semis, Palmer set up the last-minute winner.

Here, on 73 minutes, and with the cause looking not lost but in serious jeopardy, they joined forces. Palmer started the move by finding Saka in rare space on the right. The ball inside was neatly laid back by Bellingham, and Palmer, having continued his run, drilled it low into the corner from just outside the box to tie the scores.

Extra-time beckoned, until it didn’t. Spain was the best and classiest team in the tournament, capable of moving the ball at pace and creating chances from nowhere.

The last strike was the decisive one. Spain left it late, just like in its quarterfinal against Germany. The outcome was tight, but the result was deserved.