Italy stops Spain on their track to a third European Championship title in a row.

Stade de France, Saint-Denis

Italy          2–0          Spain

Giorgio Chiellini (33′)

Graziano Pellè (90+1′)

Unfortunately for both World Cup winning sides, they had fallen on the side of the knockout bracket that forced a battle of elimination amongst the pre-tournament favorites.

Spain’s title defense was stopped by the Italians at the Round of 16 in the 2016 European Championship. Italy moves on to the quarterfinals, and Spain gets an earlier exit that most fans would expect.

Spain was chasing their third European Championship win in a row, but the Spanish team had fallen off their peak in recent years. Meeting a team like Italy, that is notorious for finding ways to win in tournaments was not an ideal opposition for Spain in the early parts of the knockout stage.

Both teams were coming off a defeat in their previous match. Italy was in a better position as they were Group winners, but Spain failing to win their group raised enough flags to make it difficult to pick out the favorite in this match.

Italy deserved a couple of goals in the first half, but Spanish goalkeeper David De Gea did not allow that to happen.

Giorgio Chiellini put Italy up a goal in the 33rd minute. Eder’s freekick was too strong for De Gea to handle. Emanuele Giaccherini pounced on the rebound, but the ball found it’s way in position for Chiellini to smash it into the goal. A deserved lead.

Graziano Pelle doubled the lead, heightening the improbable chance of a late comeback. A late and controlled counter attack from Italy was ended with  Matteo Darmian run up the field to receive a cross from Lorenzo Insigne, that switched the point of attack. Darmian deflected cross was good enough for Pelle to put the ball past De Gea.

Italy is moving on to the quarterfinals. And this performance might be a warning sign to the teams left in the tournament.

The Germans will watch this match and know that they have a difficult task ahead in the quarterfinals.