Sweden Frustrate Misfiring Spain In Euro Opener

Spain were designed to pay for not taking their chances because they claimed only a spot in a goalless draw with a defensive-minded Sweden side in in their EURO 2020 opener on Monday night.

With 16 minutes gone, Koke delivered a teasing cross to the near post and Dani Olmo got between two defenders and directed his header towards the bottom left corner only to be denied by a terrific one-handed save from Swedish goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

 

Shortly prior to the half-hour mark, Koke played the one-two with Alba, prior to the ball fell kindly back again to the Atletico Madrid midfielder, who sliced his left-footed effort narrowly wide of the proper post.

Alba chipped the ball forward and Sweden's right-back Mikael Lustig made a terrible misjudgement as the ball experienced his legs allowing Alvaro Morata through on goal, however the Juventus striker's attempted finish was an unhealthy one since it went wide when he really should have scored.

 

Immediately after, Alexander Isak got the better of Aymeric Laporte in a one-on-one duel and smashed the ball from the angle on the proper limited to his effort to deflect off Marcos Llorente off the post and away to safety.

On the stroke of half-time, Olmo found himself with space and time on the edge of the box and unleashed a robust drive towards the bottom left corner which Olsen once more did brilliantly to save lots of.

The Swedes broke swiftly n the hour mark, , cutting through the Spanish backline, with the influential Isak skipping past a few defenders down the right-hand side and squaring for Marcus Berg, who somehow missed wide of the left post from point-blank range.

The livewire Llorente slice the ball back for Olmo inside box, who set himself before drilling a minimal strike towards goal but Swedish centre-back Marcus Danielson came across to produce a goal-saving block.

La Roja had yet another golden chance in stoppage time when Substitute Pablo Sarabia whipped in a pin-point cross from the right-hand side for Gerard Moreno to head goalwards but he, too, was denied by the brilliant Olsen, who came away with the man-of-the-match award as Spain were left kicking themselves to end up with only a point.

Slovakia produced among the shocks of the tournament after defeating Poland 2-1 in Saint Petersburg on Monday evening.

Despite Poland dominating the opening exchanges, Slovakia provided the first attacking threat with 25 % of one hour gone when lone striker Duda cut inside from the left before unleashing an attempt, which skimmed the left post and hit the side-netting.

The men in blue took the lead against the run of play in the 18th minute. Winger Robert Mak continued an excellent individual run, cutting in from the left past a number of defenders before surging in to the box and firing towards the near post with the ball hitting the inside of the post and bouncing back off Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny prior to going in with it credited as an own goal by the shot-stopper.

Poland talisman Robert Lewandowski had his first real chance in the 42nd minute. Left-sided midfielder Maciej Rybus played the ball in to the feet of the striker in the box, who took the ball down well but sliced wide of the target on his left foot.

The Poles equalised only a matter of seconds in to the second half. Mateusz Klich threaded a ball down the right-hand channel for Maciej Rybus, who got the byline and cut the ball back for Karol Linetty to send a slightly scuffed effort in to the bottom left corner.

The Poles suffered a blow if they were reduced to ten men on the hour mark after Grzegorz Krychowiak picked up another yellow card for a late tackle on Slovakian midfielder Jakub Hromada.

The Slovaks restored their lead 10 minutes after Poland went a man down. The corner was swung in and Slovakian talisman Marek Hamsik headed the ball into the path of defender Milan Skriniar, whose first touch was excellent and the finish even better along with his crisp half-volley flying into the bottom right hand corner with Szczesny having zero chance.

Lewandowski came very near claiming a share of the spoils for his nation in the 87th minute when he glanced creative midfielder Jakub Moder's corner narrowly wide before Jan Bednarek fired wide of the right post, nonetheless it was just not designed to be for the Poles.