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Italy clinch Euro knockout slot -- with Bale’s Wales not far behind
Ciro Immobile of Italy celebrates with team mates after scoring their side’s third goal during the Euro 2020 Group A match between Italy and Switzerland at Olimpico Stadium on June 16, 2021 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Alessandra Tarantino/Getty Images)
ROME, June 16, 2021 - The second set of matchdays, in any tournament, provides the cue for mathematicians to wake up and start counting points won, points possible and computing the odds further down the match schedule.
Hence Italy, beating Switzerland 3-0 in Rome in Euro Group A, are the first team into the round of 16 with a game to spare. It will be played two, won two. Goals for, six; goals against, none. A 100pc tally to match their 10-out-of-10 record in the qualifying competition.
Two goals from Sassuolo midfielder Manuel Locatelli and another from Ciro Immobile mean that even if the Azzurri claim only one point from their remaining tie against Wales they will top the group.
That would send them flying to Wembley for a second round knockout clash with the runners-up from Group C who, right now, could be anyone out of Austria, Netherlands, North Macedonia and Ukraine. Defeat to Wales would send Italy, instead, to Amsterdam to play the winners of Group B (Belgium, Denmark etc).
Coach Roberto Mancini cannot afford to think so far ahead but he can enjoy his achievement in restoring pride and progress to a national team drowned in derision after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Italy’s command was never in danger from the moment Immobile popped a header over the bar in the 10th minute and Locatelli followed up by converting a right-wing cross from Domenico Berardi in the 26th. Switzerland were outclassed and out of hope. They did not deliver a shot at goal until Xherdan Shaqiri fired over the bar on the hour.
By that time Italy were two goals clear. Locatelli, set up this time by Nicolo Barella, had already rattled a 52nd-minute drive beyond keeper Yann Sommer’s flailing left hand. Remarkably this was the first time Locatelli had scored two goals in a game at senior level for country or club.
Two minutes from time Immobile surprised Sommer with a powerful drive from 25 metres.
Italy were home and dry for a 29th successive unbeaten match (and a run of 10 clean sheets). If they remain unbeaten against Wales they will equal a record set by the legendary Vittorio Pozzo’s team in the 1930s.
Wales stepped up within sight of the knockout stage by defeating Turkey 2-0 in Baku where the Turks enjoyed noisy home-from-home support.
Goals from Aaron Ramsey and Connor Roberts – in second half stoppage time – condemned Turkey to the certainty of an early flight home. Bale could have made it a little easier for Wales but he skied a second-half penalty over the bar.
Bale said: “I’m delighted with the win. We fought hard and worked out socks off like we always do. I missed the penalty but we showed good character to keep it going. It puts us in a great position. If anyone had offered four points from our first two games, before the start, we’d have bitten their hands off.”
In Group B Russia claimed their first victory of the tournament when Atalanta forward Aleksei Miranchuk scored the only goal in a 1-0 win against neighbouring tournament new boys Finland. Miranchuk struck in first-half stoppage time to start making up ground lost in Saturday’s 3-0 defeat by Belgium.
A relieved Russia coach Stanislav Cherchesov said: “The players were a real team today. They fulfilled what they had to do and got the win.” As match-winner Miranchuk then added: “Now we want to build on that.” Next up for the Russians are Denmark on Monday.
Hence Italy, beating Switzerland 3-0 in Rome in Euro Group A, are the first team into the round of 16 with a game to spare. It will be played two, won two. Goals for, six; goals against, none. A 100pc tally to match their 10-out-of-10 record in the qualifying competition.
Two goals from Sassuolo midfielder Manuel Locatelli and another from Ciro Immobile mean that even if the Azzurri claim only one point from their remaining tie against Wales they will top the group.
That would send them flying to Wembley for a second round knockout clash with the runners-up from Group C who, right now, could be anyone out of Austria, Netherlands, North Macedonia and Ukraine. Defeat to Wales would send Italy, instead, to Amsterdam to play the winners of Group B (Belgium, Denmark etc).
Coach Roberto Mancini cannot afford to think so far ahead but he can enjoy his achievement in restoring pride and progress to a national team drowned in derision after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Italy’s command was never in danger from the moment Immobile popped a header over the bar in the 10th minute and Locatelli followed up by converting a right-wing cross from Domenico Berardi in the 26th. Switzerland were outclassed and out of hope. They did not deliver a shot at goal until Xherdan Shaqiri fired over the bar on the hour.
By that time Italy were two goals clear. Locatelli, set up this time by Nicolo Barella, had already rattled a 52nd-minute drive beyond keeper Yann Sommer’s flailing left hand. Remarkably this was the first time Locatelli had scored two goals in a game at senior level for country or club.
Two minutes from time Immobile surprised Sommer with a powerful drive from 25 metres.
Italy were home and dry for a 29th successive unbeaten match (and a run of 10 clean sheets). If they remain unbeaten against Wales they will equal a record set by the legendary Vittorio Pozzo’s team in the 1930s.
Wales stepped up within sight of the knockout stage by defeating Turkey 2-0 in Baku where the Turks enjoyed noisy home-from-home support.
Goals from Aaron Ramsey and Connor Roberts – in second half stoppage time – condemned Turkey to the certainty of an early flight home. Bale could have made it a little easier for Wales but he skied a second-half penalty over the bar.
Bale said: “I’m delighted with the win. We fought hard and worked out socks off like we always do. I missed the penalty but we showed good character to keep it going. It puts us in a great position. If anyone had offered four points from our first two games, before the start, we’d have bitten their hands off.”
In Group B Russia claimed their first victory of the tournament when Atalanta forward Aleksei Miranchuk scored the only goal in a 1-0 win against neighbouring tournament new boys Finland. Miranchuk struck in first-half stoppage time to start making up ground lost in Saturday’s 3-0 defeat by Belgium.
A relieved Russia coach Stanislav Cherchesov said: “The players were a real team today. They fulfilled what they had to do and got the win.” As match-winner Miranchuk then added: “Now we want to build on that.” Next up for the Russians are Denmark on Monday.
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