Spain Beat Italy 3–1 to Top Group B and Book Quarter-Final vs Switzerland

Match Summary

Reigning world champions Spain closed their Group B campaign with a convincing 3–1 victory over Italy to finish the group stage with a perfect record. Despite conceding first, La Roja quickly regrouped and coasted to victory, remaining unbeaten at 3 wins from 3. Italy progressed as runners-up with four points, secured thanks to Belgium’s win over Portugal.

Goals & Key Moments

• 10′ – Elisabetta Oliviero fires Italy into an early lead with Spain caught off guard.
• 14′ – Athenea del Castillo draws Spain level with a sublime finish, capped by a clever assist from Alexia Putellas.
• 49′ – Patri Guijarro puts Spain ahead early in the second half, capitalizing on a defensive mishap to curl home a composed strike.
• 90+1′ – Esther González, the tournament’s leading scorer, seals the win in stoppage time off another assist from Putellas.

Tactical Overview

Spain dominated possession and tempo throughout, completing over 400 passes in contrast to Italy’s under 200. Despite Italy’s early intensity, Spain’s midfield presence anchored by Guijarro and Bonmatí controlled the match after halftime. Coach Montse Tomé’s rotational strategy paid off, introducing fresh legs without sacrificing cohesion.

Still, Spain flagged vulnerability on transitions and set-pieces a concern echoed by Guijarro after the match.

Standout Performers

• Athenea del Castillo (Spain): Her pace and directness unsettled Italy’s backline and she scored the vital equalizer. A standout debutant.
• Patri Guijarro (Spain): Composed, efficient, and lethal with her goal—recently named Player of the Match by UEFA observers.
• Esther González (Spain): Tournament top scorer added another goal in injury time to seal the win.
• Elisabetta Oliviero (Italy): Showed defensive poise and scored Italy’s opener—her first international goal. Italy’s bright spark.

Implications & What’s Next

• Spain: Advance as Group B winners with maximum points; they face host nation Switzerland in Bern on 18 July in the quarter-finals.
• Italy: Despite the loss, they qualify as runners-up (4 points), unexpectedly progressing thanks to Belgium’s win over Portugal. They will meet Group A winners Norway in the quarter-finals in Geneva.

🇪🇸 Spain remain unbeaten in Group B 💪#WEURO2025 pic.twitter.com/L7IV7fJkiL

— UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 (@WEURO2025) July 11, 2025