A beautiful evening to you; welcome to Nigerianeye's live commentary of the Euro 2016 last-16 clash between Italy and Spain at the Stade de France.
This will be the 35th encounter between the Azzurri and La Roja, with a perfectly poised record of 10 wins for each side and 14 draws so far.
Italy have not beaten Spain in a major tournament since the 1994 World Cup and lost to them at Euro 2008 and in the final of Euro 2012.
OFFICIAL LINE-UPS
SPAIN: De Gea, Juanfran, Pique, Ramos, Alba, Busquets, Fabregas, Iniesta, Silva, Nolito, Morata
ITALY: Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Florenzi, Parolo, De Rossi, Giaccherini, De Sciglio, Eder, Pelle
Spain are out of the tournament as Italy put in a superb performance, ride out the ensuing storm and then kill off the Euro holders with a late goal! Thank you for joining us!
90+4 min FULL TIME: ITALY 2-0 SPAIN
90+2 min It really looked like Spain could have nicked a late goal, but it's all over now as Italy get a second strike to send the champions tumbling out! Insigne sends a crossfield pass to Darmian on the right - the Man Utd man then whips a low cross which is deflected into the path of Pelle, who subsequently volleys home from a few yards out.
90+1 min GOAL! ITALY 2-0 SPAIN (GRAZIANO PELLE)
89 min BOOKING: Busquets also gets his name in the referee's book for complaining.
89 min BOOKING: Motta is shown a yellow card for a clash with Vazquez - he will miss the quarter-final should Italy see the game out.
87 min CHANCE! Spain come close once again as Iniesta gets the ball to Silva, who plays in a low cross that skims off the foot of Barzagli - but is also too heavy for the stretching Pedro a few yards from goal.
86 min Spain have scored 16 goals in the last 10 minutes of European Championship games, more than any other side in the competition's history. Could this stat apply tonight too?
83 min SUBSTITUTION: Both teams have exhausted their substitutions now as Alessandro Florenzi is replaced by Matteo Darmian.
81 min Spain have had 75 percent possession in the last 15 minutes - Italy appear to be missing De Rossi's influence in midfield.
80 min SUBSTITUTIONS: Changes for both sides as Aduriz, who is hobbling, is replaced by Pedro, while Italy make their second change with Lorenzo Insigne replacing Eder.
78 min We're heading into the last 10 minutes of the game plus stoppage time - Spain are turning the screw on Italy, who may come to rue their missed plethora of chances.
76 min CHANCE! Spain's knocking is turning into shoulder-barging - Iniesta lets rip with an effort directed towards the underside of the crossbar, which Buffon knocks away for a corner, and moments later Pique attempts a long-range shot which the Juve stopper once again keeps out!
74 min CHANCE! Aduriz takes the ball down on his chest on the edge of the Italy penalty box and gets the ball over to Vazquez, who fires against the post - but the move is thwarted for offside.
73 min At this stage, Italy have no suspensions for a potential quarter-final, though eight of their players are on a yellow – six from before the game, two during it. The cards are wiped at the end of this round though.
71 min CHANCE! Spain are knocking on the door, with Fabregas's outswinging corner kick falling into the path of Ramos, who nods the ball just wide.
70 min SUBSTITUTION: Lucas Vasquez replaces Alvaro Morata for Spain.
69 min CHANCE! De Sciglio switches off for a nanosecond - and that's all it takes for Spain to breach the Italian defence, with Aduriz getting into a good position and flashing a snapshot towards goal, but it ends wide.
66 min Now Juanfran tries to get the better of De Sciglio but the AC Milan man stands his ground to make a superbly timed tackle. Italy's defence is superbly well-drilled.
64 min Iniesta attempts to slip a ball into the path of Aduriz, but Italy keep things tight at the back with Bonucci getting rid of the danger.
62 min CHANCE! Yet another foray by Italy as Eder rides a tackle and gets the ball to De Sciglio, whose subsequent shot-cum-cross slips out of De Gea's grasp but falls to a Spanish defender, who clears the danger.
62 min With regards to De Rossi, it looks like he was subbed off because of injury - his eye was being tended to by medical staff following his exit from the game.
61 min Morata whips in a dangerous looking cross but it's easily dealt with by Buffon, who makes a comfortable catch. If Spain get back into this game and go on to win, much credit needs to go to De Gea - this could well have been a Netherlands-style drubbing were it not for him.
58 min Aduriz goes down with a nosebleed, so there's a short break while he gets treatment.
55 min CHANCE! And De Gea pulls another great save out of his hat once again! Eder latches on to a precise pass and, one-on-one with the keeper, lets rip with a precise shot towards the post that De Gea manages to keep out Peter Schmeichel-style!
54 min BOOKING: Pelle goes into the ref's book for an aerial challenge on Fabregas - the midfielder went down holding his face, but that looked a bit theatrical as well, in all honesty.
53 min SUBSTITUTION: Daniele De Rossi's involvement today is over - the Roma veteran is replaced by Thiago Motta.
52 min This is a bit better by Spain as they begin to apply pressure on Italy - Pique tries to force a shot but it's charged down by the Azzurri defence, before Fabregas skies an effort way over the bar.
50 min CHANCE! Bonucci gives a free kick away, which is swung in by Silva and headed behind by De Rossi - the ensuing corner results in a free header for Morata, but it's straight at Buffon from six yards out!
46 min And Italy are straight out of the starting blocks at full tilt once again - Florenzi breaks into the box on the right and plays a dangerous low cross that Pique touches behind for a corner, and from the set piece, Ramos is forced to clear on the six-yard line.
46 min KICKOFF: Second half is underway. Will Spain pull something out of the hat or are Italy going to book a quarter-final date against Germany?
SUBSTITUTION: As predicted, Spain make a change - Nolito comes off, Aduritz comes on. An attacking change by the looks of things.
Well, this is not something we expected, is it? Spain have the better team on paper, and all the signs pointed towards a very close game, but Italy have been rampant here at the Stade de France.
45+2 min HALF TIME: ITALY 1-0 SPAIN
45 min CHANCE! De Gea is keeping Spain from finding themselves on the receiving end of a thrashing as Giaccherini jinks his way through multiple challenges and fires the ball from the edge of the box, but the Man Utd man is on top form once again to get it behind for a corner.
42 min Nolito gets to the byline and pulls a cross back to the edge of the penalty area for Pique, but he can't get to it as Italy clear their lines.
40 min BOOKING: The first Roja player finds his way into the ref's book as Nolito launches into a late tackle on De Rossi.
36 min Spain set about trying to get themselves back into contention, but Italy appear keen to avenge their Euro 2012 defeat - Pelle slides through Iniesta, giving Spain a foul 35 yards from goal, but nothing comes of it.
35 min The Azzurri edge themselves into a deserved lead as Chiellini was in the right place at the right time - De Gea keeps out Eder's free kick, but the Juve defender follows up on the rebound! First blood to Italy!
34 min GOAL! ITALY 1-0 SPAIN (GIORGIO CHIELLINI)
32 min Ramos brings down Pelle and concedes a free kick in a promising position for Italy. Eder takes from 25 yards...
29 min Spain are under siege again as De Sciglio's low cross from the left is dangerously shanked wide of his own goal by Ramos on the six-yard line - two corners are taken in quick succession, but the outcome is a free kick to the European champions.
28 min Alba's cross is turned behind for a corner, which is played to Iniesta, but the midfielder's 25-yard attempt is easily saved by Buffon
26 min Morata holds his face after finding himself on the receiving end of a pretty firm elbow from Parolo - nothing given though.
25 min CHANCE! Parolo finds himself some space in the box, connects with De Sciglio's inswinging cross and plants a header goalwards, but the ball goes wide of the right post!
24 min BOOKING: Mattia De Sciglio is the first man to go in the book in this game due to a shirt pull. He was one of the few Italy players not on a yellow ahead of kick-off.
23 min The corner is played short to Iniesta and curled to the far post, where Ramos goes down at the hands of a challenge from Chiellini. Nothing given - looked a bit theatrical.
20 min Spain, who have been second best thus far in the game, show a bit more attacking intent as Fabregas collects a ball in the D and strikes a shot towards goal that is well blocked by De Sciglio. Probably La Roja's best passage of play just there.
16 min That save from De Gea really was something special. He's going to have a big say in this game.
14 min Now it's Spain's turn to head forward as Silva marauds down the right flank, cuts inside onto his left foot and attempts to pick out the run of Alba at the far post, but the wet surface and the weight on the ball means it's beyond the latter's reach.
11 min OFF THE POST! And De Gea does it again! Pelle heads a Florenzi ball across the face of goal, Giaccherini improvises an overhead kick, and the Man Utd stopper gets down to his left and pushes the ball onto the post. The referee blows his whistle moments later for infringement.
8 min SAVE! What a save from De Gea! Pelle was on hand to latch on to a free kick and thump a header towards the bottom corner, but the goalkeeper shows his reflexes and palms the ball out for a corner!
7 min Italy get the ball to Eder in the penalty area - he makes a decent connection with his shot but Ramos is there to charge the effort down.
5 min Spain put together their first decent passing move, but Nolito slips over on the left wing. Moments earlier Eder fell because of the slippery pitch too. Fertile ground for mistakes to happen.
1 min De Sciglio tries to carve out an opportunity by whipping a cross into the box, but De Gea comes off his line to gather the ball.
1 min KICK OFF: Here we go! Italy vs. Spain is now underway!
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