12.10.2010 18:19
Spain U21 into European Championship (0-3)
Jordi Clos
The Spanish Under 21 side has qualified for the European Championship finals after beating Croatia in the play-off. Goals from Dominguez, Adrián and Jeffren sealed a win in which Barça’s Thiago and Bojan both started.
The result also means Spain’s London Olympic Games hopes are still alive. Luis Milla’s
side went into the game with a 2-1 advantage from the first leg and made good of that with a 3-0
away win this afternoon. But it was not as routine a matter as the scoreline might suggest. The
home side created plenty of problems, and the last two goals didn’t arrive until the final
minutes.
Visitors dominate
It was a nervous opening, with a number of defensive errors from both sides, with both
goalkeepers coming into their own in the first half. Spain, with a solid Thiago and with Bojan
highly active in attack, had the best chances through Parejo (min 15), Adrián (min 21) and Mata
(min 27). The Croats, clearly missing injured star man Rakitic, also found room for danger down the
right.
Domínguez on target
There was to be little speculation. The 2-1 result in the first leg was not a secure one for
Spain, while Croatia had no option but to score. In the second half that need was greater still,
and the Spaniards struggled to contain the onslaught. Vukusic did score in the 57th minute, but the
Balkan goal was rightly disallowed for handball. It was when Spain were most floundering that
Álvaro Domínguez took advantage of a mistake from keeper Kelava at a corner to make it 1-0 to
Spain.
Jeffren gets third
Bojan, who has almost scored with a scorching long shot, came off for his FCB team-mate
Jeffren. Immediately after, Croatia were reduced to ten men when Lovren was sent off. The minutes
ticked by with Croatia needing two to take the game into extra time, and were twice caught out by
Spain. First Adrian and then Barça man Jeffren scored in the dying second to ensure Spanish
presence in the finals, which will be held in Denmark from June 11 to 25, 2011, and which double as
qualifiers for the 2010 Olympic Games.
MATCH STATS
CROATIA, 0
SPAIN, 3
Croatia: Kelava, Vida, Jozinovic (Tomecak, min 69), Perisic, Maloca, Lovren, Ademy,
Badelj (Simic, min 71), Jajalo, Rakitic (Oremus, min 14) and Vukusic.
Spain: De Gea, Azpilicueta, Domínguez (Botía (min 89), San José, Víctor Ruiz,
Rubén Pérez (Fontàs, min 75), Thiago, Parejo, Bojan (Jeffren, min 62), Mata and Adrián.
Referee: William Collum (Scotland)
Goals: 0-1 Domínguez (min 67); 0-2 Adrián (min 89); Jeffren (min 91).