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The second day of the European Championship has concluded with the latest results now available. In Group A, Hungary was defeated by Switzerland with a score of 1-3. In Group B, Spain triumphed over Croatia with a 3-0 victory, and Italy won against Albania with a score of 2-1. Lamine Yamal, the 16-year-old prodigy from Barcelona’s club, shone on the field.

It’s noteworthy that at midnight on June 16th, the European Championship welcomed its second day of matches, starting with Spain’s “Matadors” facing Croatia’s “Checkered Ones” led by Modric. Ultimately, after Croatia missed a penalty opportunity, Spain, who was better at seizing opportunities, won the match 3-0.

According to reports, this first major clash of the European Championship between Spain and Croatia, two well-acquainted adversaries from the past four championships, was highly anticipated. Besides the thrilling head-to-head battle, the matchup between Spain’s 16-year-old talent Yamal and Croatia’s 39-year-old “Magician” Modric was also a highlight.

Lamine Yamal, currently playing for Barcelona Football Club, took the position of right winger in this match. Making his debut on the European Championship stage, Yamal showed no signs of stage fright, displaying a strong offensive desire. Within the first 14 minutes, he made two threatening breakthroughs. His first breakthrough delivered a precise pass to a teammate at the edge of the box, and during the second, he shot at goal amidst two defenders but missed. At the 31st minute, Yamal got his third touch of the ball, breaking into the box and initiating a second attack after his pass was blocked. This attack led to Spain’s second goal, with Ruiz skillfully dribbling and shooting.

During the stoppage time of the first half, Spain executed a tactical corner kick, with Yamal assisting a teammate to score, helping the team lead 3-0 at halftime. Early in the second half, Yamal had another excellent shot on goal, which was unfortunately saved by the Croatian goalkeeper. Despite the team captain being injured, Yamal made a solo long run towards the front but sadly didn’t manage to score.

As reported by Red Star News, at 16 years old, Yamal became the youngest player to ever appear in the European Championship, as well as the youngest to provide an assist. The previous record for the youngest player was held by Polish player Kozłowski, who played against Spain in the last championship at 17 years and 246 days old.

Having appeared in 50 matches this season, Yamal scored 7 goals and provided 10 assists for his club, rapidly becoming a star with his value soaring to 90 million euros, making him the club’s most valuable player.

With a father from Morocco and a mother from Equatorial Guinea, and being born in Spain, Yamal has the potential to represent multiple national teams. Before deciding which national team to play for, both Morocco and Spain approached Yamal. According to the president of the Moroccan Football Federation, they tried to recruit the rising star, explaining their plans to him and his family, but at that time, the player had already been persuaded by Spain. They wished him luck and success. It’s quite normal for such situations to occur given the 14-kilometer distance between Spain and Morocco.

After helping defeat Croatia, Yamal still needs to complete his homework while preparing for the crucial second-round match against Italy. In an interview with Spanish media at the Spanish team’s training base in Germany, Yamal said, “I brought my homework because I’m in the fourth year of ESO (compulsory secondary education). I also need to attend online classes, but I think I’m doing well. I hope the teachers don’t ask me.”

According to CCTV Sports Channel, due to the presence of Spain, Croatia, and Italy, Group B is known as the “Group of Death.” The match between Italy and the weakest team in the group, Albania, was expected to be a foregone conclusion. However, Italy’s player Di Marco made a mistake with a throw-in, allowing Albania’s Balaj to score with a near-post shot just 23 seconds into the match, setting a new record for the fastest goal in the European Championship history.

The defending champions, Italy, did not panic after falling behind by one goal and managed to equalize with a header from Bastoni 10 minutes later. In the 16th minute, Barella, who plays for Inter Milan, scored with a volley, giving Italy the lead. The match ended with Italy securing a 2-1 victory.

Earlier in the day, Group A saw Hungary face off against Switzerland, with Ebecilio contributing to Switzerland’s 3-1 victory, marking a “winning start.”

Currently, in the Group A standings, Germany and Switzerland are in the first and second positions, with Hungary and Scotland in third and fourth. In Group B, Spain is in the lead, followed by Italy, Albania, and Croatia.