U21 Euros: Spain Survives Slovakia Challenge with Late Winner

Spain kicked off the U21 Euros with a nail-biting 3-2 win over host nation Slovakia. Get the highlights, stats, and analysis of the thrilling match.

Spain kicked off the U21 Euros with a thrilling 3-2 win over host nation Slovakia. The pre-tournament favorites struggled, allowing Slovakia to mount a comeback before Spain secured the win. This victory marks Spain's eighth win in their last 10 matches against Slovakia. The match was played at Bratislava's National Football Stadium.

Spain dominated early possession, with Pablo Torre and Javi Guerra leading the charge. Gerard Martin briefly left the field after appearing to dislocate his finger but quickly returned. Spain's 71% possession in the opening exchanges highlighted Slovakia's defensive task.

Slovakia's goalkeeper Lubomir Belko made a crucial save on Diego López, but Spain took the lead on 15 minutes through Marc Pubill. Just 2 minutes and 5 seconds later, Mateo Joseph doubled Spain's advantage with a similar finish.

Slovakia struggled to penetrate Spain's box in the early going, with Nino Marcelli's long-range shot forcing Alejandro Iturbe into his first save. It wasn't until the 30-minute mark that Samuel Kopasek got Slovakia's first shot on target. Tomas Suslov helped create some promising passages of play for the hosts as halftime approached.

Cesar Tarrega, scorer of the winning goal, is the UEFA Player of the Match of the Spain vs. Slovakia game at U21 EURO. ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/MoLm8j5yBn

— The Touchline | Football Coverage (@TouchlineX) June 11, 2025

Slovakia's fortunes changed in the second half, with Kopasek scoring after Marcelli's clever run. The partisan crowd was energized, pushing the hosts forward. On 51 minutes, Spain's Hugo Bueno was penalized for a harshly judged foul on Marcelli, and Tomas Suslov scored the resulting penalty to level the game.

Spain faced a dramatic turnaround after surrendering a 2-0 lead for the first time in a U21 tournament group game. The hosts' relentless pressure left Spain defending for long stretches. Despite Pablo Torre's early substitution, Spain remained threatening, with Javi Guerra forcing a great save from Lubomir Belko with 23 minutes left.

The final 15 minutes were action-packed, with both teams creating chances. Marc Pubill and Nino Marcelli were particularly lively, while Albert Moleiro and Javi Guerra missed opportunities from close range. In the dying seconds, a Slovakian defensive mix-up allowed Cesar Tarraga to head in the winning goal.

Spain's U21 Euro campaign started strongly, but their momentum seemed to fade in the second half, allowing Slovakia to come back before Spain ultimately secured the win.

The late winner extends Spain's unbeaten streak in U21 Euro group games to nine. Slovakia, meanwhile, will look to capitalize on home advantage and improve on their 35.2% possession share.