Alvaro Morata and Cesar Azpilicueta stamped their names into the record books while helping Spain progress into the Euro 2020 quarter-finals.
Spain sealed a spot in the Euro 2020 quarter-finals following a dramatic 5-3 win over Croatia, with Alvaro Morata and Cesar Azpilicueta on target.
The duo, who previously played alongside each other at Chelsea, were among five different scorers in La Roja’s victory against Croatia. Azpilicueta was the first to score out of the pair. The Blues captain’s effort handed Spain the lead just before the hour-mark. Fernan Torres then doubled their lead before two late goals from Croatia substitutes Mislav Orsic and Mario Pasalic forced the last-16 tie into extra-time.
Morata and Mikel Oyarzabal, however, were able to restore Spain’s two-goal advantage to seal victory in the eight-goal thriller after over 120 minutes of football in Copenhagen.
Morata equals Torres as the joint-highest scorer in Euros history
The Juventus striker scored his second goal of the competition after first doing so in a 1-1 draw with Poland on June 19.
Morata’s strike in Copenhagen extended his overall tally in the European Championship to five goals, having previously scored three times in Euro 2016. Therefore, he has equaled Fernando Torres as Spain’s joint-highest scorer in the tournament.
5 – Alvaro Morata has scored his fifth goal at the European Championships, becoming Spain's joint-highest scorer in the competition along with Fernando Torres. Thunderbolt. #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/quYGk3O7eQ
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 28, 2021
Azpilicueta becomes Spain’s oldest scorer in Euros history
The Chelsea captain scored his first international goal on Monday and made his own bit of history at the same time.
At 31 years and 304 days old, Azpilicueta became Spain’s oldest scorer at a European Championship.
31 – César Azpilicueta, who has scored his first ever goal for Spain (27th cap), has become Spain’s oldest ever goalscorer at the European Championships (31y 304d). Timing. #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/4vfeas0CuY
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 28, 2021