Spain and Italy's U21 sides battled to a 1-1 draw on Tuesday in a tightly contested match to conclude their group stage play in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship. Both teams had already secured their passage to the quarter-finals, making this encounter a showdown for the top spot in Group A.
The first half at the Štadión Antona Malatinského was a cagey affair, with both defenses holding firm and limiting clear-cut opportunities. The deadlock was finally broken after the restart.
Spain's Jesús Rodríguez was the first to find the back of the net in the 52nd minute, giving his side the advantage. However, the lead was short-lived as Italy's Niccolò Pisilli responded with an equalizer just seven minutes later, ensuring a share of the points.
The match saw a flurry of substitutions from both benches as the managers looked to rotate their squads ahead of the knockout stages. The game was also marked by its physicality, with several yellow cards issued.
With the draw, both teams advance to the quarter-finals, having navigated their group unbeaten. Their opponents in the next round are yet to be determined. The focus for both Spain and Italy will now shift to the win-or-go-home knockout phase of the tournament as they continue their quest for the U21 European title.
