Spain secured top spot in Group A of the UEFA Under-21 European Championship after a hard-fought 1–1 draw with Italy in Trnava, while hosts Slovakia bowed out on a high with a deserved 2–1 victory over Romania.
La Rojita needed only a point to win the group and achieved just that, despite a spirited Italian performance. The deadlock was broken eight minutes into the second half when Jesús Rodríguez finished off a slick attacking move, sweeping the ball into the net to give Spain the lead.
Italy, aware that only victory would take them top, responded swiftly. Just before the hour mark, Niccolò Pisilli showcased his quality with a drilled finish after excellent individual build-up play, drawing the Azzurrini level.
The Italians pushed for a winner, with Riccardo Turicchia testing Pablo Cuñat and Pisilli going close again with a low effort that shaved the post. Ultimately, Spain held firm to preserve their unbeaten record and finish top of the group.
- Player of the Match: Raúl Moro (Spain)
- Key Stat: Only one of Spain’s last 36 U21 EURO finals matches has ended goalless, underlining their attacking pedigree.
Slovakia Bow Out with Memorable Victory
Earlier in the day, Slovakia delighted the home crowd in Trnava by sealing third place in the group with a 2–1 win over Romania.
Adam Obert gave the hosts an early lead with a deft finish from Tomáš Rigo’s free-kick in the 11th minute. Slovakia were dominant for large spells, and Tomáš Suslov doubled the advantage with a thunderous long-range strike shortly after the break.
Romania, already eliminated, responded with spirit. Ümit Akdağ fired in their first goal of the tournament midway through the second half, and Matei Ilie nearly equalised late on but headed just wide. Slovakia held on to avoid finishing bottom of the group and earn a measure of pride from their campaign.
- Player of the Match: Tomáš Suslov (Slovakia)
- Key Stat: Slovakia avoided losing all three group games at a U21 EURO finals for the first time in their history.
Final Group A Standings:
- Spain – Quarter-finalists
- Italy – Quarter-finalists
- Slovakia – Eliminated
- Romania – Eliminated
Spain now march on in confident mood, while Italy will look to regroup ahead of the knockout phase. For hosts Slovakia, the win offered a fitting farewell to their home fans.
