Denis Suarez scored the only goal of the game as Spain Under-21s earned a 1-0 win over Serbia Under-21s in their final Group B outing at the European Championships.
The Barcelona midfielder, one of 11 changes to La Rojita's starting lineup, netted from close range shortly before the half-time interval.
Serbia were reduced to 10 men soon after following Uros Djurdjevic's red card, but the Young Eagles gave a good account of themselves as they restricted their opponents in the second half.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
7.15pmHello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the U21 Euro 2017 group-stage fixture between Serbia Under-21s and Spain Under-21s at the Zdzislaw Krzyszkowiak Stadium in Bydgoszcz. Tournament favourites Spain are already assured of a place in the knockout stages thanks to a perfect record thus far, while opponents Serbia have it all to do this evening.
7.17pmThe Young Eagles, who put up a good fight against another of the big hitters in Portugal in their opening fixture, must pick up a healthy victory tonight - an improbable task in itself - and hope that the Selecao slip up against Macedonia elsewhere. The big excitement will likely come in the other match taking place in Group B, updates of which will be provided here throughout the night.
7.19pmTEAM NEWS!
SERBIA U21s XI: Manijlovic; Filipovic, Jovanovic, Veljkovic, Antonov; Maksimovic, Lukic, Gacinovic; Zivkovic, Djurdjevic, Radonjcic
SPAIN U21s XI: Pau; Odriozola, D.Gonzalez, Merino, Gaya; Soler, Rodri, D.Suarez; Inaki, Mayoral, Oyarzabal
7.21pmJust the 11 changes made by Spain boss Albert Celades - a completely different starting lineup to the one named against Portugal a few days back, but still one oozing quality throughout. The ideal position for La Rojita to be in, really, as they are given nearly a full week's rest ahead of their semi-final match. That said, momentum is so often key in these tournaments, and there is also a chance for the fringe players to force their way into contention for that last-four showdown.
7.23pmSandro Ramirez, reportedly on the brink of joining Everton for a bargain fee, looked impressive against Portugal last time out but is among those to have been given a rest for this one. Marco Asensio was always likely to be overlooked, meanwhile, having produced the best individual display of the tournament thus far in the thrashing of Macedonia. Saul Niguez, the only player to score in each round, is the other big attacking hitter to watch on from the bench.
7.25pmThat leaves plenty of focus on Inaki Williams, who will start in a front three alongside Mayoral Moya and Mikel Oyarzabal, both of whom will be hoping to register to perhaps force their way into Celades's thinking for the next round. Carlos Soler and Rodrigo Hernandez are handed their first caps, meanwhile, starting alongside the more experienced Denis Suarez in the middle of the pitch. Eleven changes made in all - a real luxury for the tournament favourites.
7.27pmNenad Lalatovic is more reluctant to make changes, understandably, as he goes with Uros Djurdjevic through the middle in what is also likely to be a 4-3-3 formation. Mijat Gacinovic is arguably the key player in the side, being tasked with creating chances for his more advanced teammates. It could well be the Frankfurt midfielder's final match for the Under-21s side, as is the case with most of the older players in the squad.
7.29pmSerbia should not be completely written off this evening, though, as they won the European Championship at Under-19s level in 2013 and the Under-20s World Cup two years later. Completing the treble with this age-grade squad now appears extremely unlikely - this time around, at least - as they find themselves third in the group, two points adrift of Portugal. Spain are top on six points, while Macedonia prop things up with a point from their two matches.
7.31pmThe Young Eagles also have a pretty decent record in this competition, too, having reached two finals and a semi between 2004 and 2007, but they have qualified for just two of four finals since. They failed to win any of their matches when making it this far two years ago, and that could well be the case this time around as they face the formidable force that is Spain. A 2-0 loss to Portugal in their opener was followed up with a thrilling 2-2 draw against Macedonia last time out.
7.33pmSerbia deserved far more than a 2-0 defeat against Portugal here, really pushing their opponents when a goal down in the second half. A draw would have given the scoreline a fairer reflection, but they were ultimately punished for failing to take their chances and they are now left with little hope of progressing through. Uros Djurdjevic's last-minute header against Macedonia means that they require a big helping hand from elsewhere to remain alive.
7.35pmSerbia finished second to Italy in qualifying, scoring an impressive 27 goals along the way, and Spain also had to do things the hard way by coming through a playoff. After dropping seven points across their 10 matches, La Rojita failed to hit the heights expected as they scrapped their way post Norway over two legs to book their place in the finals. Since getting here they have looked superb, though, crushing Macedonia 5-0 and earning a big 3-1 win over Portugal.
7.37pmThat match against Portugal was billed as being a heavyweight clash, but in truth Spain were far too strong. The Selecao did manage to drag themselves back into the match through an unbelievable Bruma finish, but Inaki Williams - a starter tonight - bagged a decisive third for his side. It leaves Spain on course for a joint-record fifth success in the Under-21s tournament, with Italy currently out in front in that regard.
7.39pmPREDICTION! Spain have made wholesale changes, having already booked their place in the semi-finals, but this is still a half-decent starting lineup. Serbia were backed as dark horses prior to the tournament and they sort of lived up to that billing against Portugal, though the 2-2 draw with Macedonia was essentially a knockout blow to their hopes. I will back the four-time tournament winners to win 3-1.
7.41pmSpain actually won this tournament back-to-back between 2011 and 2013, at a time when they really were at the top of their game. They still have a truly incredible squad, which would no doubt stand its own at senior level against most sides, but they have failed to impress since that last success four years ago. A chance to put that right this time around, as they attempt to build some further momentum heading into the knockout stage.
7.43pmBoth sets of players are now out on the field of play, with kickoff at the Zdzislaw Krzyszkowiak Stadium in Bydgoszcz a couple of minutes away. Serbia, missing a couple of key players this evening through suspension, go with a 4-3-3 lineup, while Spain - showing a completely different XI to their last outing - go with the same formation. Inaki Williams netted the third against Portugal a few days ago and is the man to watch this evening.
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1 minKICKOFF! Serbia get us up and running in Bydgoszcz, aiming to make a quick start and perhaps catching Spain off guard. As well as handing two players their debut at this level, a further four come in for their first tournament appearance.
3 minPositive enough start by the Young Eagles, who will fancy their chances against this second-string Spain side. A few balls over the top, one of which catches La Rojita a little off guard but it is cleared away when squared into the centre.
5 minCHANCE! Big opportunity for Serbia to take an early lead in Bydgoszcz. A corner was flicked on at the front post for Milos Veljkovic, who incredibly lifted the ball over the bar unmarked from just a couple of yards out. Sitter!
7 minUPDATE! MACEDONIA U21s 0-1 PORTUGAL U21s (Edgar Ie, 3)
An early lead for Portugal in their meeting with Macedonia, meaning that Serbia can say goodbye to any hopes they had of making it through to the semi-finals. Pride now all they have left to play for.
9 minSerbia should be ahead through that big chance for Veljkovic, and overall they have been the better side. Spain have spent the past couple of minutes knocking the ball around at the back and into midfield, attempting to grow into the contest.
11 minSpain's first sight of goal, as Williams gets on the end of a half-cleared cross. His shot was heading for the target, and probably the back of the net, but it was well blocked by a Serbian defender on its way through.
13 minPortugal in need of three more goals in their meeting with Macedonia to rival Slovakia for that best-placed runners-up spot, incidentally. In terms of events here, this is essentially a dead-rubber - just pride to play for.
15 minSpain still struggling to find any sort of rhythm early on, which is entirely understandable when taking into account the mass changes made. Serbia have seen plenty of the ball and created one big chance in particular from a set-piece.
17 minSAVE! Better from La Rojita over the past couple of minutes, as they start to move the ball around a little better, particularly exploiting the left-hand side. Serbia win back possession and quickly attack, though, with Uros Djurdjevic testing Pau Lopez.
19 minThat was great play from Serbia to create the chance for Uros Djurdjevic, as he latched on to a ball in behind but rather scuffed his attempt when up against Lopez. A couple of decent openings for a side backed as tournament dark horses at one point.
21 minSAVE! Spain finally spring into life, creating a chance for Carlos Soler. The Valencia midfielder was played clean through on the Serbian goal, but he was thwarted by the big hand of Filip Manojlovic - great keeping!
23 minIt was around this point in both of their previous games that Spain finally stepped up and opened the scoring. That was so nearly the case in this one, too, as Soler really should have got the better of Manojlovic in their personal battle.
25 minPENALTY APPEAL! Uros Djurdjevic is the first player to enter the referee's book following a cynical challenge. The free kick is swung into the box and Borja Mayoral goes to ground, but replays show that he dived. Good call from the referee to wave play on.
27 minUPDATE! MACEDONIA U21s 0-2 PORTUGAL U21s (BRUMA, 23)
It has all become rather one-sided in Spain's favour in the past five or 10 minutes, but it remains goalless. That is not the case elsewhere in Group B, as Bruma has netted a second goal for Portugal to put them two up.
29 minCHANCE! Another opening comes and goes for the Young Eagles, as Uros Djurdjevic opts to pick out a teammate rather than go from goal seven yards out. His attempted pass to Andrija Zivkovic was overhit, though, and no shot arrived.
31 minDenis Suarez with a rare shooting chance, which he sends into the side-netting. Spain on top in terms of possession, though it is Serbia who have created the better chances overall with a third of the game now played.
33 minSHOT! Djurdjevic this time does decides to shoot from the edge of the box, a fair way further back than a few minutes ago when he elected to pass. The attempt is poor, right down the middle for Pau Lopez to comfortably get behind.
35 minSome slick football being played from Spain, which we have become accustomed to at each age-grade level through to the seniors, but it is not working at the moment. Just the one real chance created, which Soler failed to make the most of.
37 minLa Rojita threatening to move up another gear in these past five minutes or so, but it is a quiet evening for Filip Manojlovic in the Serbia goal. Serbia will perhaps feel more aggrieved not to have scored at this stage of the match.
39 minA swift Serbia counter ends with a good cross coming into the box but no player in red being able to get on the end of it. Lalatovic, despite seeing his side second best in the possession stakes, will be happy with this first-half showing.
40 minGOAL! SERBIA U21s 0-1 SPAIN U21s (DENIS SUAREZ)
41 minSpain have lift-off in this final group-stage fixture, finding a way through via a Denis Suarez strike. Inaki Williams played a key part, sending Alvaro Odriozola away down the right, and in turn the Real Sociedad full-back picked out Suarez to blast home from eight yards out.
42 minRED CARD! Serbia do not deserve this. They had created the better chances but, in the space of a few minutes, Spain have taken the lead and now top-scorer Uros Djurdjevic has been dismissed. The forward was shown a second yellow for elbowing his opponent.
44 minSAVE! Carlos Soler somehow missed from five yards out just before that Djurdjevic red, and a big chance has also just fallen the way of forward Borja Mayoral, who was denied at the front post by Manojlovic.
45+1 minHALF TIME: SERBIA U21s 0-1 SPAIN U21s
8.31pmThe half-time whistle sounds on a fairly action-packed opening 45 minutes in Bydgoszcz. Serbia edged the chances in the opening 35 minutes or so, but then Spain took the lead through Suarez and find themselves a man better off following a red card shown to Djurdjevic. It is all beginning to fall apart for the Young Eagles!
8.34pmSpain boss Albert Celades made 11 changes to his side for this dead-rubber, so it would not have come as too much of a surprise to see his side struggle for any sort of rhythm early on. Serbia created the better chances prior to falling behind, in fact, with Milos Veljkovic missing the best of the lot four minutes in when lifting the ball over the bar from three yards out.
8.37pmUros Djurdjevic tested Pau Lopez - one of six Spain players to be given their first taste of the tournament, two of whom were making their debut at this level - with a scuffed attempt, before doing likewise from a little further back soon after. The Partizan Belgrade product found himself in a promising position with half an hour played, but decided against shooting and instead looked for Andrija Zivkovic alongside him, only to overhit the pass.
8.40pmThe wasted openings would come back to haunt the Young Eagles, as Spain finally began to grow into the contest, creating a chance for Carlos Soler which the Valencia man failed to take when up against Filip Manojlovic. Borja Mayoral tried conning the referee to win a penalty, though Spain did not have to wait too much longer to make the breakthrough in Bydgoszcz. Inaki Williams and Alvaro Odriozola linked up down the right for the latter to tee up Denis Suarez, who made no mistake in picking his spot from close range.
8.43pmSoler should have added a quick-fire second, somehow missing from just a few yards out when the ball was fizzed towards him, but Serbian hopes were crushed seconds later after Djurdjevic was shown a second yellow for elbowing his opponent. It will surely now be a case of just how many La Rojita can score in this second half, in what is now a dead-rubber of a fixture.
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46 minRESTART! We are back under way at the Zdzislaw Krzyszkowiak Stadium, where neither manager has opted to make a half-time change. Might just be a case of damage limitation for Serbia in the remaining 45 minutes here.
48 minSAVE! Manojlovic with a dreadful first touch, allowing Suarez to pick up the ball. The Barcelona midfielder was one-on-one with the keeper but was denied, as his direct opponent more than redeemed himself.
50 minA mentioned pre-match that tonight provided a chance for some of the fringe players to prove a point. Suarez has done that, looking lively in the middle, while Williams also played a key part in the breakthrough goal with his hold-up play.
52 minWilliams runs out of grass to run into down the right after taking on his man. Incidentally, there was a goal late in the first half of the other game - Macedonia surprisingly pulling one back against Portugal to make it 2-1 in that one.
54 minSuarez cuts inside and gets a shot away, with the ball seemingly being blocked by a Serbian arm. Not enough distance between ball and player, argues the referee, which Suarez accepts. Spain completely dominating now.
56 minNo real change in the flow of the match - Spain continuing to dominate the ball, with Serbia being given the odd chance to counter. Celades will be keen to see his men bag a second, just to make certain of three more points.
58 minSpain will finish top of Group B even if they were to somehow concede a couple of goals in the remainder of this match, thanks to their superior head-to-head record over Portugal. La Rojita still continuing to probe away at the moment.
60 minCHANCE! The best chance of the evening so far for Williams, who can only head the ball wide when picked out from the right. He then charged through a minute later, but Manojlovic raced out and made the most of the striker's dreadful first touch.
62 minUPDATE! MACEDONIA U21s 1-3 PORTUGAL U21s (Daniel Podence, 57)
Things are starting to get really interesting in that other Group B fixture, as Portugal restore their two-goal advantage. They have that best-placed runners-up spot well in their sights with 30 minutes to go.
64 minIt has not been the greatest of second halves thus far in Bydgoszcz; Serbia working really hard to restrict their opponents, but not doing enough to threaten for an equaliser. Spain will want a second before the game is out.
66 minLalatovic may be thinking of making a change or two shortly, with his players being made to work overtime since going down to 10 men. Celades in less need to change things around, having made 11 alterations to his starting lineup tonight.
68 minSAVE! Another good save from Manojlovic - that's five or six now. Denis Suarez wiggles his way into some space and gets a shot away, which is kept out down low. Suarez has been Spain's best performer this evening.
70 minWe are now into the final 20 minutes of the contest in Bydgoszcz, where the tale of the tape remains the same. Serbia can consider themselves pleased to have kept the scoreline down, and they may even snatch one while it remains at 1-0.
72 minSERBIA U21s SUB! Suarez was allowed to bring the ball forward and, when finally about 20 yards from goal, put his foot through it and sent it over the ball. Some much-needed fresh legs for Serbia, as Dejan Meleg replaces Nemanja Radonjic.
74 minSAVE! Credit to Serbia because they certainly have not rolled over in this second half. Spain should have bagged a second but, having failed to do so, were nearly pegged back as Nemanja Maksimovic's shot required saving.
76 minA little under 15 minutes to go in both Group B fixtures. Spain cruising to top spot, which will remain the case even if they were to concede here. Sasa Lukic down in some pain, seemingly suffering from cramp after a big shift in midfield.
78 minLukic is now back on the field following some treatment. Pau Lopez is forced to boot the ball out of play when put under some pressure, as Serbia threaten to score what at one point looked an improbable equaliser.
80 minSerbia have been the side on top since the short stoppage in play a few minutes ago. The ball is cut-back into a dangerous area, but a slight deflection helps it clear. Spain will kick themselves if they throw away this lead they hold.
82 minAs things stand the semi-finals will be made up of England, Slovakia and Spain. No denying that La Rojita will be the team to avoid of those three, but one - or perhaps two, depending on results - of Italy, Germany and Czech Republic will join them.
84 minSAVE! Manojlovic produces the save of the tournament thus far, somehow denying Borja Mayoral with a reaction stop from close range. Spain could have had four or five if it had not been for Serbia's keeper.
86 minSAVE! He has barely had anything to do all evening, but Pau Lopez has pulled off a big save of his own. The ball found its way to Andrija Zivkovic, whose half-volley was heading for the top corner if not for a fingertip stop.
88 minUPDATE! MACEDONIA U21s 2-3 PORTUGAL (Kire Markoski, 80)
Portugal are heading for the exit, as they now require five goals against Macedonia to go through as one of the best-placed runners-up. Slovakia are one step closer to the semis!
90 minTwo additional minutes to be played at the Zdzislaw Krzyszkowiak Stadium. Still time for Serbia to nick an equaliser, which many will argue their battling qualities have perhaps deserved. Spain supporters will no doubt argue otherwise!
90+2 minFULL TIME: SERBIA U21s 0-1 SPAIN U21s
9.38pmThe full-time whistle sounds in Bydgoszcz, meaning that Spain Under-21s progress through with a perfect record. La Rojita, the favourites to go all the way in Poland, knew that they were into the semi-finals regardless of tonight's result, but they still managed to pick up a 1-0 victory against Serbia Under-21s despite fielding a largely second-string side.
9.40pmThat concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events at the Zdzislaw Krzyszkowiak Stadium. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, while a recap of Portugal's entertaining 4-2 win over Macedonia in the other Group B match can be viewed here. Thanks for joining!
