Spain end Italy’s unbeaten run in UEFA Nations League semis

MILAN, Italy (AP):

Spain ended Italy’s record unbeaten run of 37 matches by beating the European champions 2-1 in the Nations League semi-finals after Roberto Mancini’s team was reduced to 10 men yesterday.

Ferran Torres scored two goals in the first half for Spain, the second coming after Leonardo Bonucci was sent off for a second yellow card three minutes before the break.

“We’ve been playing good for a while now. We are a young team playing well, and I think this victory is another step,” said Torres, who came off four minutes into the second half after picking up a knock but said he would be fit to play Sunday’s final against either world champions France or top-ranked Belgium. “Victory over Italy in Italy. Now we’ll start thinking about the final.”

Lorenzo Pellegrini pulled one back for Italy late on as the Azzurri threatened an improbable comeback. In the end, though, Mancini’s side fell to its first loss in more than three years since being beaten by Portugal in September 2018. Their unbeaten streak was a world record in international football.

“It (defeat) would have come eventually. And better tonight than the final of the Euros or a World Cup final,” Mancini said. “But this game will give us more strength despite the defeat and help us realise that we are really a great squad.”

In Milan, Italy was in the hunt for more silverware while Spain was looking for revenge after losing to the Azzurri on penalties in the Euro 2020 semi-finals.

Barcelona teenager Gavi Páez started, making the 17-year-old the youngest player to make his Spain debut. Gavi, who only made his first-team debut for Barcelona a month ago, broke the national record set by Ángel Zubieta in 1936.