Spain and Sweden rue missed chances after Euro 2020 stalemate in Seville

14-Jun-2021 20:58:45 | Guardian

You may have heard this one before. It was noisy in Seville, but the roof was never truly raised at La Cartuja, the sound that lingered from Spain’s opening game at the Euro 2020 the whistles of supporters who had watched their team dominate possession, rack up over 900 passes but just not find a way through. Before them was a tight, defensive organised Swedish team which helped to explain it, but there was familiarity in the frustration too.

Only six members of this Spain squad played in Russia, a new generation and an unpredictable XI but some of the issues remain. A game where they impressed for forty-five minutes and then drifted in the second half, saw Spain make chances but not take them. So much so that Álvaro Morata departed listening to supporters’ laments, but nor did Spain find clarity without him, ultimately forced to accept an opening game 0-0 draw which might even have been worse when they were twice cut open by the superb Alexander Isak, who first hit the post and then provided for Marcus Berg to somehow pass up a glorious opportunity from close range that would have made this even bigger shock.