Italy outsmart Spain as the holders crash out of Euro 2016

Sport360 staff 22:08 27/06/2016
Italy outsmart Spain to make semis

Giorgio Chiellini and Graziano Pelle scored the goals as Italy exacted revenge for their Euro 2012 final hammering by dumping Spain out of Euro 2016 with a deserved 2-0 last 16 win in Paris on Monday.

Chiellini forced home the opener from close range after goalkeeper David de Gea could only parry Eder’s fiercely struck free-kick.

Pelle volleyed in a deflected cross in injury time to complete Spain’s heartbreak.

After crashing out of the World Cup in the first round, Vicente del Bosque’s team have now failed to get to the Euro quarter finals.

A series of De Gea saves kept Spain in the game, but their quest for an unprecedented third consecutive Euro title peetered out as Gianluigi Buffon saved from Andres Iniesta and Gerard Pique late on to set up a mouthwatering quarter-final clash with Germany on Saturday in Bordeaux.

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