Nations League: Spain hands Italy its first defeat since 2018, end record run

Roberto Mancini juggernaut has been put to an end by Spain. La Rojas ended Italy‘s record unbeaten run of 37 matches by beating the European champion 2-1 on Wednesday in the Nations League semifinals after the Azzurri were reduced to 10 men.

Ferran Torres scored a first-half brace for Spain, the second of which came after Leonardo Bonucci was sent off for a second yellow card three minutes before the break.

Lorenzo Pellegrini pulled one back for Italy late on as the Azzurri threatened an improbable comeback. But it proved too little too late as Mancini’s side fell to its first loss in more than three years, since being beaten by Portugal in September 2018. Its unbeaten streak was a world record in international football.

Spain will face either world champion France or top-ranked Belgium in the final in Milan on Sunday. The second semifinal is in Turin on Thursday.

In Milan, Italy was in the hunt for more silverware while Spain was looking for revenge after losing to the Azzurri on penalties in the Euro 2020 semifinals.

Barcelona teenager Gavi Páez started, making the 17-year-old the youngest player to make his Spain debut. Gavi, who only made his first-team debut for Barcelona a month ago, broke the national record set by Ángel Zubieta in 1936.

The match in front of a passionate, sell-out crowd of 37,000 at the San Siro was played with a high tempo from the start, with chances coming at both ends.

Spain had been probing the left flank and it provided the opener in the 17th minute as Oyarzabal’s cross from the left was volleyed into the bottom right corner by Torres.

Italy had chances to level the match and its best opportunity came 10 minutes from halftime as first Federico Bernardeschi’s shot was turned onto the post by Simón before an unmarked Lorenzo Insigne turned Emerson’s cross wide from a great position.

Italy’s chances then took a blow just before the break as Bonucci was shown a second yellow card for jumping with his elbow raised on Sergio Busquets. The Italy captain had received a first booking on the half-hour, for dissent.

Spain immediately made the extra man count as it doubled its lead on the stroke of halftime, with a very similar goal to its opener. This time Torres headed Oyarzabal’s cross from the left back across goal and into the bottom left corner.

Despite being a man down, Italy continued to press and Chiesa hit the right post after a good run from the Juventus forward. The offside flag was up but it would have been a tight decision.

Oyarzabal almost got on the scoresheet himself in the 63rd but he headed a cross from Yeremy Pino wide of the post.

Donnarumma also saved a low shot from Alonso before Italy pulled one back seven minutes from time. Chiesa sprinted forward from inside his own half to the penalty area, drew Simón, and then unselfishly rolled across for Pellegrini to tap into an empty net.

(With AP inputs)