Spain leaves it late to beat England and claim UEFA Euro 2024 – TSN.ca

Spain are the champions of Europe for a fourth time.

La Roja defeated England 2-1 in the final of UEFA Euro 2024 on a late goal from Mikel Oyarzabal to claim their fourth major honour since 2008. The victory breaks a tie for most Euro triumphs with 2024 hosts Gemany.

It was more heartbreak for the Three Lions, who lost consecutive Euro finals.

Spain made two changes to his starting XI from the semis win over France with both Dani Carvajal and Robin Le Normand returning to the La Roja backline from booking suspensions in place of Jesus Navas and Nacho, respectively

Gareth Southgate made one change of his own with Manchester United’s Luke Shaw making his first start of the tournament in place of Kieran Trippier.

With Lamine Yamal in for Spain and Kobbie Mainoo in the Three Lions XI, the match was the first Euro final to feature two teenagers in the starting lineup. Turning 17 on Saturday, Yamal became the youngest person to ever start a major final, surpassing Pele in the 1958 World Cup final.

The first half was largely a cautious affair with neither team wanting to make a mistake. Both Spain and England struggled to find a rhythm and good chances were almost nonexistent.

Almost from the restart, though, La Roja was ahead.

Just 69 seconds into the second half, Yamal found Williams on the right, who slotted past Jordan Pickford to make it 1-0 in the 46th minute. For Yamal, it was his tournament-leading fourth assist.

It should have been 2-0 only minutes later. A ball fell to Olmo unmarked in the area, but he dragged his effort beyond the far post. The RB Leipzig man gave a sheepish smile to acknowledge he should have done better.

Then in the 55th, another sensational ball from Yamal played Alvaro Morata in and his effort looked to be going into the net before Stones cleared the danger from the line. Seconds later, Williams almost had a brace, but his shot was too wide.

England struggled to get back into the match as Spain grew into the game and began to dictate the pace.

In the 64th, Jude Bellingham came close to an equalizer. Taking a pass from Bukayo Saka, he spun around two defenders just outside the area before dragging his low shot beyond the far post of Unai Simon’s goal.

Pickford kept his team in the match in the 66th. Yamal finished a fine team move by making room around Shaw and forcing the Everton keeper into a fine diving stop.

Minutes later, the game was tied. In the 70th, Palmer came on for Mainoo. Set up just outside the area, Palmer dragged a low shot past a diving Simon and inside the far post to make it 1-1 in the 72nd.

It was Pickford who came to the rescue again in the 82nd with another diving stop on the lively Yamal.

But he couldn’t bail his team out in the 86th. Marc Cucurella’s low cross was redirected by Oyarzabal by Pickford to once again put La Roja on top. England looked for an offside, but VAR showed that John Stones had played him just on.

England came close to an equalizer late, but John Stones and Marc Guehi were denied by Simon.