Spain enters strong in the European Sub-21
Those from Denia surpass the host Romania with authority despite forgiving a bigger win
MADRID, 21 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish Under-21 soccer team thrashed Romania (0-3) this Wednesday in its debut in the European Championship that takes place in Romanian territory, an insistent performance and without holding back anything that left good feelings and the leadership of Group B , heading to the tickets for the quarterfinals.
Those of Santi Denia, a coach who took command of the ‘Rojita’ in January by a Luis de la Fuente who rose to the senior level, dispatched from less to more a totally canceled hostess and very far from the rival goal. Spain forgave good chances on the way to halftime but at the restart came goals from Álex Baena, Juan Miranda and Sergio Gómez.
The always demanding first game of a major tournament caught Spain a bit cold, but it didn’t take long for them to flow their game and generate scoring chances. The trigger was trying from outside, shots from Sancet and Álex Baena, to put fear into the body of the rival. Later, Rodri’s overflow finished tipping the balance.
After half an hour, the Spanish dominance and siege was pronounced, almost always with the Betis player winning one on one on the right wing. Abel Ruiz was the one who had the peephole the most, especially in a goal called just before the break, half a meter from the line and with the goalkeeper defeated.
Those from Denia improved at least and grew from the game, moving the ball faster and better, but with the goal pending. At the restart, Romania took a few minutes to withdraw, an almost assured sentence while Spain continued to print a strong rhythm on the ball, finding arrivals.
The entry of Víctor Gómez gave even more depth to the Spanish attack on the right wing and, with Rodri improving each play that passed through his feet, he signed the assist for Baena’s 1-0. The entrance from the second row of the Villarreal player opened the can, but the five-time champion kept the roll.
Romania barely had an option to go on the counter, which Munteanu bitterly regretted, but the script pointed to a landslide. In a good action by Abel Ruiz, Miranda made it 2-0 in minute 62. The hostess almost asked for the time when she saw Denia’s changes. Gabriel Veiga and Aimar Oroz, two of the best players in the League despite their youth, added dominance and arrival in Spain.
With a little more aim, the ‘Rojita’ would have destroyed Romania, with two other good ones from Oroz. In the end, Sergio Gómez scored from a direct free kick with a rebound off the wall in the third, to add one more than Ukraine, which beat Croatia 2-0, in the lead.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: ROMANIA, 0 – SPAIN, 3. (0-0, at halftime).
–LINE-UPS.
ROMANIA: Popa; Pantea, Racovitan, Dican, Borza, Isfan (Ticu, min.85), Albu, Pitu (Lixandru, min.65), Munteanu (Mazilu, min.72), Birligea (Markovic, min.65) and Popescu (Petrila, min. 65).
SPAIN: Arnau Tenas; Arnau Martínez (Víctor Gómez, rest), Paredes, Pacheco, Miranda, Blanco, Álex Baena (Gabri Veiga, min.74), Rodri (Riquelme, min.81), Sancet (Aimar Oroz, min.74), Sergio Gómez and Abel Ruiz (Camello, min.86).
–GOALS:
0 – 1, min. 56, Baena.
0 – 2, min. 62, Miranda.
0 – 3, min.95, Sergio Gómez.
–REFEREE: Erik Lambrechts (BEL). He admonished Dican (min.74) and Ticu (min.91) for Romania. And Pacheco (min.20) in Spain.
–ESTADIUM: Steaua Stadium.