Albania 0-1 Spain LIVE RESULT – Torres’ tidy finish fires La Roja to a flawless Euro 2024 group campaign
SPAIN have won ALL three of their Euro 2024 group by beating Albania 1-0 tonight.
La Furia Roja sealed qualification after beating reigning champions Italy 1-0 in their second group fixture.
And Ferran Torres' tidy finish fired La Roja to a flawless campaign who now await their opponents in the knockouts.
- RESULT: Albania 0-1 Spain
- Live stream:
- TV channel: BBC Two
- Albania XI: Strakhosa; Balliu, Djimisti, Ajeti, Mitaj; Laci, Ramadani, Asllani; Asani, Manaj, Bajrami
- Spain XI: Raya; Navas, Vivian, Laporte, Grimaldo; Zubimendi, Merino; Torres, Olmo, Oyarzabal; Joselu
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Follow ALL the action from the Dusseldorf Arena with our live blog below...
ALBANIA 0-1 SPAIN
51: So what have we got here then? Spain have had 60% of possession, 11 efforts to Albania's one and only 20% of the play has happened in their half. Dominance.
ALBANIA 0-1 SPAIN
48: Oof! Cracking effort from Joselu there, who stretches his weaker leg to try and hook Jesus Navas' cross beyond Thomas Strakosha at the near post. Olivier Giroud-esque.
ALBANIA 0-1 SPAIN
45: We're back underway. Robin Le Normand replaces Aymeric Laporte. Albania unchanged.
Yikes
The latest from our man on the ground, Martin Lipton.
Well, that was all pretty much as you’d expect.
Albanian can’t be faulted for effort and their fans are having a blast.
But there is surely only one team that is going to win this.
Dani Olmo is revelling in his chance to prove he should be playing more, while Alejandro Grimaldo has the freedom of the left flank.
What’s really scary for the Albanians is a glance at the Spain bench.
When their legs start to go, Luis de la Fuente can send on Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal.
Yikes. With a capital Y.
Lamine Yamal of Spain on the benchCredit: GETTY Wayne's world
If you're worried you've been watching the wrong match, let me point you towards Wayne Rooney's analysis.
"That was very boring."
Cheers, Wayne.
ALBANIA 0-1 SPAIN
HT: Albania save their best moment of the half until the final few seconds. Kristjan Asllani fizzes one from distance but David Raya was equal to it.
And that's the HT whistle. Very, very straightforward indeed for Luis de la Fuente's side. It remains goalless in the other Group B contest between Croatia and Italy.
So as things stand, Albania and Croatia are heading out with Italy behind winners Spain.
Easy.Credit: GETTY ALBANIA 0-1 SPAIN
45: They're almost laughably good tonight, Spain. Plenty of flicks and tricks result in Dani Olmo back-heeling a through ball inside the area and Albania just about manage to thump its behind for a corner.
Shortly after Alex Grimaldo cuts the ball back for Mikel Merino, who skews it over under pressure. Could easily be 3-0 this already.
One minute of added time. Albania might just be thankful for that.
ALBANIA 0-1 SPAIN
42: Beautiful looping cross from Bayer Leverkusen's Alex Grimaldo reaches Ferran Torres at the back post. He's unmarked but can't decide whether to volley it or head it. He opts for the stooping header but sends it over.
ALBANIA 0-1 SPAIN
39: Arsenal fans, look away now. David Raya, who's touched the ball about nine times all night, fires a clearance straight at Spain defender Aymeric Laporte from about 10 yards. Thankfully for him, he gathers the rebound but no idea what he was thinking there - under no pressure whatsoever.
ALBANIA 0-1 SPAIN
36: Should be 2-0. Jesus Navas manages to keep an overhit cross in play before darting inside and squaring it for Dani Olmo, who can't bring it under his spell. Arlind Ajeti makes the block before Olmo once again fires wide with a cross/shot.
ALBANIA 0-1 SPAIN
33: Albania finally make it into Spain territory but midfielder Kristjan Asllani sends a cross that sails miles over the crossbar. David Raya has touched the ball just seven times in the opening 33 minutes.
One of David Raya's epic seven touches...Credit: GETTY ALBANIA 0-1 SPAIN
30: Would be surprised if Spain's odds of winning the tournament didn't shorten after this contest. Ok, it's Albania, but they pushed both Italy and Croatia close - while Spain are cruising having made ten changes.
ALBANIA 0-1 SPAIN
26: Spain win their first corner of the evening which Thomas Strakosha clumsily punches clear. And we go straight back to business with Luis de la Fuente's side knocking it around for fun.
ALBANIA 0-1 SPAIN
23: Mikel Oyarzabal feeds the advancing Dani Olmo, who drags a fairly tame effort wide. Also, my neighbour has decided to start mowing his lawn at 20:23. We think that's acceptable?
Martin Zubimendi of Spain and Nedim Bajrami of Albania battle for the ballCredit: GETTY ALBANIA 0-1 SPAIN
20: The decibel level has dropped… and it's dropped massively. Spain now turning the screw by playing their favourite game - keep ball.
ALBANIA 0-1 SPAIN
17: Well if it was a tough assignment before, it's virtually impossible now.
Spain have won all eight of their previous encounters with Albania (31 goals for, 3 against). It’s Spain’s best 100% record against any opponent, alongside Liechtenstein and Malta.
Hmmm, that sounded too negative... MAYBE, just MAYBE eh?
ALBANIA 0-1 SPAIN
14: And let's not forget… if things stay the same, that goal ensures England will advance to the qualifying stages as one of the best third-placed sides.
ALBANIA 0-1 SPAIN - FERRAN TORRES
12: We have lift off!
Albania started nicely but Spain didn't flinch and now they've got their reward. Dani Olmo plays a delicate ball straight through the heart of the Albanian defence for Barcelona forward Ferran Torres to curl beyond the goalkeeper at the first time of asking.
That's his 20th goal at international level.
Ferran Torres of Spain celebrates their first goalCredit: GETTY ALBANIA 0-0 SPAIN
11: And that's our first shot on target tonight, folks. It comes from the head of Real Sociedad's Mikel Merino who powers Jesus Navas' cross straight at goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha.
Moments later Joselu glances a cross over the crossbar.
ALBANIA 0-0 SPAIN
10: Jesus Navas - yep, that Jesus Navas, whips in a great delivery from the right at the ripe old age of 38 but Arlind Ajeti is there to clear easily.
Albania seem happy to keep the ball when possible without feeling the need to simply thump it forward. It's been a confident start for the underdogs without threatening.
ALBANIA 0-0 SPAIN
9: No early goals here, and no early goals in the other Group B match between Croatia and Italy. By all accounts, Croatia are bossing that one with 94% possession in the early stages.
ALBANIA 0-0 SPAIN
6: Kristjan Asllani takes the opening corner of the match for Albania with several players blocking David Raya's path. It's cleared.
ALBANIA 0-0 SPAIN
5: Not a great deal unfolding in these opening five minutes, but the pattern of play is exactly like you would imagine.
Spain are building it from the back with short, crisp passing while Albania are far more direct and physical. Few of the Spanish players looking a fraction rusty on the ball.
Jesus Navas fights for the ball with Albania's forward Rey ManajCredit: GETTY ALBANIA 0-0 SPAIN
2: Boooooo! Albania fail to beat their own record of 23 seconds for the fastest goal at the Euros. Not happy with Spain playing in this lemon-coloured strip either.
ALBANIA 0-0 SPAIN
1: And we're underway, folks.
Can Albania do the business against Spain's reserves and send themselves through to the knockout stages?