Aarón sparks Spain success

Aarón Ñíguez was the inspiration as holders Spain began the UEFA European Under-19 Championship in familiar fashion, scoring one goal and making the other as hosts Austria were overcome in the first round of matches in Group A.

Effervescent Aarón
The Valencia CF forward was his side's most effective performer in Linz and one of his trademark runs led to the opening goal seven minutes into the second period, César Azpilicueta arriving to convert Aarón's perfectly-weighted cross and silence a sizable and vocal home crowd. The forward then got the goal his individual efforts had warranted three minutes later and it was all his own work as he escaped the clutches of three defenders to effectively settle the contest.

Bright start
The teams met in the semi-finals 12 months ago with Spain running out 5-0 winners, but this time it was Austria who began the brighter and they might have taken an early lead as a neat passing move worked space for Manuel Salomon down the left, whose long angled shot was touched behind by Felipe Ramos. The Spanish goal was under threat again on the quarter-hour, Salomon's sublime reverse pass briefly threatening to set Marc Sand clear, but under pressure the Austria centre-forward lifted his shot too high. Those opportunities proved atypical in a first half in which both sides threatened only for a failure to find a final ball to undermine their attacks, although Aarón was foiled from close range by Wolfgang Schober's fine stop.

Decisive spell
So keen were they to get back into action both sides emerged for the second half several minutes early, although it was Spain who looked the more urgent as the action resumed with all six of their substitutes warming up energetically. That extra enthusiasm translated into tangible advantage on the pitch in the 52nd minute as Aarón rode two challenges down the left and crossed low for César to slide a shot beyond Schober from near the penalty spot. Provider turned scorer less than three minutes later, Aarón again wriggling away from the attentions of the Austrian defence to drill in a low shot and double Spain's advantage.

Wednesday fixtures
Their opponents refused to concede defeat, however, and Marc Sand forced Ramos to tip over his fierce drive from the edge of the penalty area, but Spain clinically closed out the game in the final 20 minutes. Austria will therefore look to bounce back in their second game, against Matchday 1's other winners Greece, on Wednesday when Spain renew acquaintances with old rivals Portugal.