Europe championship. The final
July 11. England. London. Stadium: Wembley
Italy – England 1: 1 / pen. 3: 2
Goals: Bonucci 67 – Show 2
Penalty shootout:
1: 0 – Berardi
1: 1 – Kane
1: 1 – Belotti (goalkeeper)
1: 2 – Maguire
2: 2 – Bonucci
2: 2 – Rashford (post)
3: 2 – Bernardeschi
3: 2 – Sancho (goalkeeper)
3: 2 – Jorginho (goalkeeper)
3: 2 – Loves
Italy: Donnarumma – Di Lorenzo, Bonucci, Chiellini, Emerson (Florenzi 118) – Barella (Cristante 54), Jorginho, Verratti (Locatelli 96) – Chiesa (Bernardeschi 84), Immobile (Berardi 55), Insigne (Belotti 91).
England: Pickford – Walker (Sancho 120), Stones, Maguire – Trippier (Saka 71), Phillips, Rice (Henderson 74, Rashford 120), Show – Mount (Grilish 99), Sterling – Kane.
Warnings: Barella 47, Bonucci 55, Insigne 84, Kellini 90 + 6, Giorgio 114 – Maguire 106
It is difficult to call the Euro final, which looked more emotional, more festival, more historical than Euro 2020. In England, “It’s coming home” was heard from every iron and in the cooing of every pigeon, on the scoreboard in the subway, on school playgrounds, and even the Queen in a special letter wished the national team success in its first major tournament final in 55 years and the second in history. In Italy, they wanted to climb to the top after the Apocalypse of non-participation in the 2018 World Cup, after the Apocalypse of the coronavirus. Seeing the sign in the date – exactly 39 years after winning the 1982 World Cup. In terms of tactics, team play, the Italians looked stronger. They have not lost in 33 matches in a row, have not conceded more than one goal in 36. Their ability to control the ball, apply high pressure, play short passes, great experience of Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci, team experience were also trump cards. And when I had to remember about catenaccio, I managed to hold out against Spain. But the British defense looked even better, did not miss a game in the tournament, their tactical flexibility is higher. And they are at home, despite the fact that Gareth Southgate taught them not to feel pressure, to play freely. Gazzetta Dello Sport journalist Fabio Licari wrote before the match that England is afraid of Italy. Perhaps this is why Southgate switched to playing with three center-backs, as against Germany in the round of 16. And it stunned the Italians. Immediately Kane went to the center of the field, got from Shaw, gave the new player in the “start” Trippier on the right flank, he hung, and Shaw sneaked into the penalty area and closed. The goal created by the laterals. And reminiscent of the first goal against the Danes in the semifinals. Soon, Trippier received the ball twice more in the same situations. There the defenders interrupted the passes. 1:57 – Fastest goal in Euro finals history. And Shaw’s first goal for the national team in his career. At such a moment!
Italians’ defensive player Marco Verratti said before the match that England was forcing the opponents to play badly. According to this plan, she proceeded further. At first, Italy was just in a panic, despite the possession advantage, it seemed, could not get hold of him. Even the attack went out only two or three. And the defenders had to interrupt the dangerous lumbago. The match against Spain continued. After 30 minutes, “Azzurri” at least returned the familiar aggression, ball possession, pressed the opponent to the goal. But even then they were deprived of ideas and simply simply gave up corny. Chiesa’s breakthrough past everyone and a slightly inaccurate shot from a distance from the bottom remained the only moment that looked like a dangerous one, the first shot on target of Pickford’s goal took place only in stoppage time (Verratti) and was very weak. In the second half, Roberto Mancini’s charges continued to possess the ball and knock on the opponent’s doors. Especially after the substitutions at the 55th minute. The pressure increased, the pace increased. Southgate’s charges are too defensive. Pickford pulled off Insigne and Chiesa’s tricky shots after dribbling them, Stones and Maguire’s corner responses were slightly inaccurate. But just the corner Bonucci became successful. In a mess in the penalty area, Pickford turned Verratti’s head into a rack, and Leonardo finished off. And six minutes later, Leo found a long pass Berardi, who threw the goalkeeper. But also the gate. 34-year-old Bonucci is the oldest goal scorer in Euro finals history.
Only after Berardi’s moment England and the game generally calmed down. The previously unnoticed Sterling has tried several breakouts. Insigne tried to answer. In general, both were already waiting for overtime. Which the Southgate team started well already, not passively. Even pressed. Phillips breaking through from afar is a little inaccurate. There was also an answer. Emerson’s lumbago, which nearly closed Bernardeschi. The goalkeeper was in time. The second 15-minute also began with moments. Both goalkeepers made a mistake, Pickford did not immediately tame the blow, Donnarumma was on the way out. All right. And the penalty shootout became the most logical option. Berardi, who did not hit in the semifinals, started the streak with a low kick, deceiving the goalkeeper. Kane, who oiled in the semifinals against Denmark, also shot to the left of himself, Donnarumma guessed right, but missed. The tension was clear on Belotti’s face, and in the end, Pickford parried his punch fairly easily. Maguiar knocked out the camera with a nine ball. Bonucci shot almost nine. But Rashford, who had just come on as a substitute, waited a very long time after the whistle, ran for a very long time, waited for the goalkeeper’s action – and shot into the rack. Bernardeschi secured the miss with a hit to the center. And then history repeated itself. Also released at the 120th minute, Sancho was also waiting, also looking at the goalkeeper. And Gianluigi fought back. Jorginho also repeated the habits of the British. Struck weakly, and Pickford took it. Saka no longer waited, struck quickly. But too ingenuous, at a comfortable height for Donnarumma. Gijo fought off outwardly easily. Italy is the European champion! After all that the country has gone through during the pandemic, after the humiliation that all Italian football went through four years ago. After all these years in which Calcio lost his status, he forgot about the success in the Champions League. Mancini came, forced the national team to abandon catenaccio, instilled in it a technical attacking football. At the same time, without destroying the ability to defend. And he won. Giorgio Chiellini said that immediately after his arrival, the coach started talking about winning the Euro, and they looked at him like he was crazy. Well, geniuses are often crazy. And England? She became the second host in a row to lose the Euro final. 17th out of 18 at major tournaments who did not take a trophy. She did a great job under Gareth Southgate. But at the decisive moment she lacked experience, composure. Too young players took a penalty kick. It lacked character under the pressure of Wembley and the nation’s expectations. Building the structure of the game was also lacking. As in the semifinals of the 2018 World Cup, she scored very quickly, but then gave the ball to an opponent and lost. The structures of Italy and Croatia turned out to be stronger.
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