EURO winners Alex Baena and Fermin Lopez steer Spain into men’s football knockout stages at Paris 2024
Spain advanced to the knockout stages of the men’s football tournament at Paris 2024 thanks to their two EURO 2024 winners.
Alex Baena and Fermin Lopez are targeting a summer double to remember as the only two members of Spain’s European Championship-winning squad to feature at the Olympics as well.
And in their pursuit of back-to-back glory, the two rising stars were both on target in their second Group C match as Spain saw off Dominican Republic 3-1 to qualify for the quarter-finals with a game to spare.
Fermin Lopez scored Spain's openinggoal
Chasing a first men's football gold since 1992, Barcelona’s Lopez capitalised on an error to put the Spanish in front midway through the first half at Bordeaux Stadium.
The Dominican Republic hit back with a header from Angel Montes de Oca, but their task was then made harder in first-half injury time when captain Edison Azcona was shown a straight red card for kicking out at Pau Cubarsi.
It made for a long second half for the Dominican Republic, who qualified for the Olympics after making the final of the 2022 CONCACAF Under-20 Championship.
And Spain soon pressed home their advantage, with Baena’s deflected shot restoring their lead in the 55th minute.
After a VAR check for offside, Miguel Gutierrez then added Spain’s third after tapping in from Lopez’s cross.
The victory means Spain are already through to the quarter-finals having also won their opening match 2-1 against Uzbekistan.
Spain face Egypt in their last group game on Tuesday.