Croatia's Ivan Perisic celebrates scoring his team's winning
goal against Spain during the Euro 2016 Group D match at Stade Matmut
Atlantique, in Bordeaux, on Tuesday
Holders Spain lost for the
first time in 15 matches at the European Championship finals on Tuesday
when Croatia beat them 2-1 to win Group D at Euro 2016.
Ivan Perisic scored the winner with three minutes left after Croatia
keeper Danijel Subasic had saved a penalty from Spain captain Sergio
Ramos with 20 minutes remaining.
Croatia's Nikola Kalinic had cancelled out an early goal from Spain striker Alvaro Morata in the first half.
Spain meet Group E winners Italy in a heavyweight last-16 tie on
Monday in Paris -- a rematch of the 2012 final -- while Croatia will
play one of the third-placed teams in Lens on Saturday.
Kalinic's goal just before the break was the first goal conceded by
Spain in 948 minutes of European Championship matches since October
2014.
Croatia's excellence and commitment in battling back from behind
condemned Spain, going for a third straight title, to their first defeat
in a European Championship finals since they were beaten 1-0 by
Portugal in the 2004 group stages.
Croatia keeper Danijel Subasic saves a penalty kick by Spain captain Sergio Ramos.
The deserved winners overcame
the disappointment of their second group match against the Czech
Republic by starting confidently, seeking to set the tone with an
intense press.
However, it was the Spanish who struck decisively in the seventh
minute with a goal that encapsulated the technical prowess, the movement
and the vision that sets them apart from the rest of this summer's
contenders.
David Silva drove inside before sending a delicious reverse pass out
to Cesc Fabregas, whose diagonal run across the box went unnoticed by
everyone else.
His cross was met by Morata, arriving at the back post, and on the day that his move back to Real Madrid
from Juventus was announced, the striker touched home for his third of
the tournament, moving level with top scorer Gareth Bale.
Croatia's Ivan Perisic and Spain's Alvaro Morata face off
Spain, unchanged and enjoying
the cohesion that familiarity breeds, could have doubled their lead when
Nolito directed Silva's searching cross just wide, but Croatia held
tight and steadily began to rediscover their early menace.
Ivan Rakitic sent an ambitious chip onto the bar with the goalkeeper
stranded while Kalinic, picked ahead of goalless Mario Mandzukic,
offered mobility and a tenacity that had previously been missing.
With Spain eyeing a second, it was Croatia who struck, as Perisic's
cross found Kalinic, stealing in ahead of Ramos, who flicked the ball
past De Gea with the outside of his foot.
It was hugely entertaining fare, thankfully unaffected by the crowd
troubles that have accompanied Croatia's other matches this summer.
Croatia began the second half confidently and David De Gea was called
into action to tip away Darijo Srna's cross before closing down Tin
Jedvaj's follow up.
Spain's Andres Iniesta is challenged by Croatia's Marko Rog
They were then left fuming at
an unjust penalty in the 72nd minute when Silva, chasing a delicious
lofted ball from Andres Iniesta, fell under imperceptible pressure from
Sime Vrsaljko.
Captain Ramos sent a hesitant spot kick down the centre of the goal
and Subasic, advancing well off his line before the shot, was able to
bat it away as justice was served.
Late goals have been a theme of this tournament, and while Spain
struck late to down the Czech Republic in their opener, here they were
on the receiving end.
A Spanish foray forward was halted abruptly and Marko Pjaca surged on
the counter before laying the ball off to Perisic, whose low shot,
aided by the merest deflection, evaded De Gea at his near post as
Croatia were able to celebrate a famous win.
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