BERLIN (AP) — Nico Williams gave Spain a 1-0 lead against England at the start of the second half of the European Championship final in Sunday.
Williams hit a first-time shot from teenage Spain prodigy Lamine Yamal’s pass across the face of the area in the 47th minute.
Yamal had been kept quiet by England left back Luke Shaw in a scoreless first half at Berlin’s 71,000-seat Olympiastadion.
Phil Foden volleyed a shot at Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon near the end of the half for England’s best chance.
Spain was seeking a record fourth European Championship title to break a tie with Germany/West Germany, while England was looking to end its 58-year wait for a major trophy — stretching back to the 1966 World Cup.
The match began at Berlin's historic stadium, built for the 1936 Olympics, after an electronic-themed closing ceremony featuring robotic dance moves from white-clad performers and fiery pyrotechnics. In attendance were Prince William, Spain’s King Felipe, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Keir Starmer, Britain’s new prime minister.
Much of the focus was on Yamal, who turned 17 on Saturday and is the youngest player ever to have appeared and scored at the European Championship.
As in downtown Berlin before the match, England fans vastly outnumbered those from Spain inside the stadium, almost making it feel like a home game for the English.
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AP Euro 2024: https://apnews.com/hub/euro-2024
