Joselu strikes late past Italy to send Spain into Nations League final

Rodri has emerged as a key protagonist once again.

Fresh off his historic goal in Istanbul that sealed Manchester City's first-ever Champions League triumph, the talented midfielder was on fire in Spain's thrilling 2-1 victory over the European champions Italy on Thursday.

This win propels Spain into the Nations League final, where they will clash with Luka Modric's Croatia in a battle for glory on Sunday.

Reflecting on his exceptional year, Rodri expressed his elation, saying, "I'm absolutely thrilled with my journey so far. It has been an arduous and relentless effort, marked by the World Cup experience, clinching the remarkable treble with Manchester City, and now, reaching the (Nations League) final."

As the match approached extra time, Rodri's shot took an unexpected deflection, falling fortuitously to substitute Joselu in the 88th minute.

The Espanyol striker, who had just stepped onto the pitch, exhibited remarkable composure as he turned in the decisive goal from close range at the esteemed FC Twente Stadium.

Rodri modestly admitted, "I didn't celebrate excessively as doubts clouded my mind about the goal's legitimacy.

"However, Joselu's presence in the right place at the right time proved instrumental, securing a truly significant goal for our team."

This win provides Spain with a second opportunity to claim victory in the Nations League.

In 2021, they advanced to the final, defeating Italy in the semifinals but ultimately succumbing to France.

For Spain's coach, Luis de la Fuente, this turnaround in fortunes holds tremendous significance.

Having assumed the role after Luis Enrique's tenure following the World Cup in Qatar, de la Fuente faced immense pressure, especially after a narrow victory against Norway, who were missing the formidable Erling Haaland, and a disheartening 2-0 defeat to Scotland in his first two matches.

Speaking about the team's journey, de la Fuente expressed, "We simply needed time to establish our vision. As I've always emphasized, this is a process that demands dedication and time, both on the training ground and during matches. Unfortunately, that day we encountered some unfortunate circumstances."

Spain had a blistering start to the match, opening the scoring in the third minute.

Italy's captain, Leonardo Bonucci, fell victim to Gavi's tenacious tackle, which led to Yeremy Pino calmly dispatching a shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma, registering his second international goal.

However, Italy retaliated swiftly as Ciro Immobile converted an 11th-minute penalty. Nicolo Zaniolo's powerful strike struck the arm of Robin Le Normand, the debutant Real Sociedad defender for Spain, resulting in the penalty that leveled the score.

On Sunday, Spain will face Croatia in Rotterdam for the final, while Italy will contend with the Netherlands in the third-fourth match, held in Enschede.

The match witnessed some tantalizing moments, including Davide Frattesi's disallowed goal in the 22nd minute.

Frattesi received a long pass from Jorginho and coolly slotted the ball through the legs of Unai Simon.

However, his effort was deemed offside, causing the Italian contingent to reel in disappointment.

The atmosphere at FC Twente Stadium in Enschede was notably subdued compared to the exuberant Croatian supporters, whose passionate cheers propelled their team to a resounding 4-2 victory against the host nation, the Netherlands.

The Spanish faithful, however, consistently implored Rodri to unleash a shot, and their wishes were granted in the 88th minute when his valiant attempt paved the way for the decisive goal.

While the 37-year-old Luka Modric assumed the spotlight in Croatia's triumph, Bonucci, a year his junior, struggled to make amends for his early error and was replaced at halftime.

In Bonucci's absence, Italy faced a resurgent Spanish side in the second half, who came perilously close to taking the lead on two occasions.

Mikel Merino's attempt was thwarted by Donnarumma's exceptional save in the 49th minute, with Morata narrowly missing the target on the rebound.

Three minutes later, Rodri's acrobatic effort narrowly sailed over the crossbar after Donnarumma weakly punched away a Jordi Alba free kick.

Italy, too, had their fair share of opportunities, with Unai Simon pulling off a reflex save in the 65th minute to deny Davide Frattesi a goal.

Roberto Mancini, the Italy coach, lamented the lack of world-class forwards at his disposal, expressing his frustration, "For some time now, Italy has been lacking formidable forwards, and I'm unsure of the reasons behind this predicament."

The match began with a solemn moment of silence to honor the memory of Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian premier and AC Milan owner, who tragically passed away on Monday.