Latest EURO 2024 results: Spain soars, Italy struggles in group of death; "dark horse" Hungary decoded

Switzerland - Hungary: 3-1

After Germany showed their strength with a 5-1 win over Scotland in their opening match, Hungary and Switzerland know that a win will give them a big advantage in the remaining stages of Group A.

Hungary took the field with the strongest force when stars like Dominik Szoboszlai, Roland Sallai or Barnabas Varga were all present. Meanwhile, Switzerland also used the best cards with Yan Sommer, Manuel Akanji or Granit Xhaka.

After a few balanced first minutes, Switzerland began to show why they have been a "regular guest" in many recent EUROs. Coach Murat Yakin's team easily dominated the game and quickly opened the scoring thanks to striker Kwadwo Duah in the 14th minute.

In the following period, Switzerland played with ease, in complete contrast to Hungary's deadlock. Szoboszlai and his teammates were overwhelmed by Switzerland's strength and spirit, and what had to come finally came. In the 45th minute, Michel Aebischer - midfielder of Bologna - made a dangerous run from outside the penalty area to double the gap in the Hungarian net.

In the second half, Hungary played a little better and they narrowed the gap in the 66th minute with a header from Varga. The creator was none other than captain Szoboszlai. Unfortunately, this was all Hungary could do as they conceded another goal in injury time. In the end, Switzerland defeated Hungary 3-1 to win the first 3 points at EURO 2024.

In the second match of Group A, Hungary will meet Germany and Switzerland will face Scotland.

Spain – Croatia

Against a formidable Croatia (who finished third at the 2022 World Cup), Spain still showed their ability to control the ball and dominate from the very first minutes. They created many chances but lacked the necessary sharpness. After that, Croatia gradually regained control of the game and put pressure on La Roja's goal.

However, just when they were in a good position, Croatia conceded a goal. Spain made a quick transition and Fabian Ruiz gave Morata a one-on-one with Livakovic. The Bulls' captain made no mistake, beating the Croatian goalkeeper to open the scoring in the 29th minute.

Just 3 minutes later, the gap was doubled. This time Fabian Ruiz got himself on the scoresheet. The number 8 player soloed in front of a series of Croatian players and then finished with a low, dangerous shot into the right corner of the goal.

Spain closed out the first half with a third goal just before halftime. Young talent Lamine Yamal made a tricky cross into the box for Dani Carvajal to tap the ball into the Croatian net. Thus, Yamal not only set a record as the youngest player to play at a EURO finals but also the youngest player to have assisted a goal in the history of the tournament.

In the following minutes, coach De la Fuente took his key players out to rest. Spain played leisurely waiting for the final whistle while Croatia, despite their efforts to make substitutions, could not make a difference in the score. It is worth mentioning that Croatia was awarded a penalty but Petkovic could not take advantage of it to bring home a consolation goal.

The match ended 3-0 in favor of Spain. The team from the Iberian peninsula had an impressive start and created a big advantage in the race to get a ticket to pass the group of death.

Italy – Albania: 3-1

Italy began their EURO title defence with a clash with Albania. However, coach Luciano Spaletti and his team soon suffered a bitter defeat. In the 23rd second, Dimarco made a disastrous throw-in, the ball fell to Nedim Bajrami and the striker unleashed a powerful shot to open the scoring for Albania.

Notably, Bajrami’s goal became the fastest goal in the history of the EURO finals. Surprisingly conceding a goal, the Italian team did not lose their spirit and fought back strongly. They created a lot of pressure on the opponent’s field and soon got what they needed.

In the 11th minute, from Dimarco's precise cross, Bastoni jumped high and headed the ball in a tricky way to equalize 1-1 for the team in blue. Relieved of the psychological pressure, the Italian team played better and better. In the 16th minute, Barella fired a beautiful long-range shot to raise the score to 2-1 for Italy.

It seemed that the opening moment of the match was the rare highlight that the Albanian team could create in the first half. They were constantly pressed by the Italian team without being able to organize a counter-attack. At many times, the Azzurri's ball possession time was up to 70%. However, the Italian team could not score another goal in the first 45 minutes.

In the second half, the Albanian team tried to push up their formation and play offensively. However, this team encountered an experienced Italy. Instead of taking risks and attacking like in the first half, the Italian team played slowly with good ball control ability of Jorginho.

The second half of the match was not very exciting. The Italian team prioritized defense and maintained moderate pressure on the opponent's defense. There were no dangerous opportunities created by either team.

In the 90th minute, the Albanian team almost made their opponents pay dearly. Striker Rey Manaj escaped and finished skillfully but could not beat Donnarumma. In the end, the Italian team won 2-1 and temporarily ranked 2nd in Group B EURO 2024.