It was redemption for much criticised Alvaro Morata as the striker netted in a eight goal thriller to help Spain see off Croatia in Copenhagen on Monday.
Spain has two goal advantage going into the last 10 minutes of the match. Spain gifted away the goals as Croatia came on level terms forcing the match into extra time. Croatia midfielder Mario Pasalic proved to be the livewire as he netted an injury-time equaliser.
After Pedri’s own goal, a 49 yard back pass that the goalkeeper failed to stop, put Spain behind, they hit back with Pablo Sarabia scoring in the 38th minute. Cesar Azpilicueta (57th) and Ferran Torres (76th) minute strike meant Spain looked all set to wrap up a facile win. But Mislav Orsic and then Pasalic scored in the 85th and 90+2nd minute as Croatia forced the match into extra time.
Croatia started the extra time aggressively but
Alvaro Morata (100th) and Mikel Oyarzabal (103rd) scored securing Spain’s passage to quarterfinals. Spain will now meet Switzerland in the quarterfinals after latter knocked out France in other round of 16 match.
KEY FACTS AND STATS
~ Courtesy of the eight goals in the game, Croatia and Spain produced the second-highest-scoring match in European Championship history, after France v Yugoslavia in the 1960 semi-finals (9 – 5-4 to Yugoslavia).
~ Spain are the first side in European Championship history to score 5+ goals in consecutive matches.
~ Croatia have netted seven goals at EURO 2020, their highest tally at an edition of the European Championships.
~ This was the first time Spain have had five different goalscorers in a single game at a major tournament (World Cup & Euro).
~ Pedri’s own-goal was Spain’s first-ever in the European Championships and came at a distance of 49 yards, the longest-ever own-goal netted in the competition and the first one ever scored from outside the box.
~ Pedri’s own-goal for Spain was the ninth at EURO 2020, as many as in the previous 15 editions of the competition combined (9).
~ César Azpilicueta scored his first ever goal for Spain (27th cap), becoming Spain’s oldest ever goalscorer at the European Championships (31y 304d).
~ Alvaro Morata netted his fifth goal at the European Championships, becoming Spain's joint-highest scorer in the competition along with Fernando Torres.
~At 18 years and 215 days, Spain’s Pedri became the youngest player to start a knockout game in European Championship history, overtaking the record held by England’s Wayne Rooney (18y 244d v Portugal in 2004), while courtesy of his appearance in this game, Croatia’s Joško Gvardiol is the fifth youngest (19y 156d). (with inputs from Stats Perfom)
