Euro crown for Italy after Donnarumma upsets England’s party
Giorgio Chiellini, Captain of Italy lifts The Henri Delaunay Trophy following his team’s victory in the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Final between Italy & England at Wembley Stadium on July 11, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
LONDON, July 11, 2021 - Of course it had to be penalties as Italy burst England's party bubble in a shootout after a frenetic UEFA Euro 2020 final at Wembley. No arguments. Italy deserved what was, for England, one final, bitter twist of fate.
The hosts had rocketed off to a perfect start with a second-minute goal from Luke Shaw but Italy forged a determined path back into the game and deserved a 67th-minute equaliser from Leonardo Bonucci.
More than that, the Azzurri could count themselves unfortunate not to have emerged after the initial 90 minutes as champions for the second time since their 1968 success when they, too, were hosts.
Victory was owed above all to the creative skills of the likes of Federico Chiesa and Marco Verratti plus the defensive solidity of Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini and shootout hero-keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma above all.
Marcus Rashford missed one penalty but Donnarumma's subsequent saves from Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka then proved fatal in the 3-2 denouement.
The Italian players raced from halfway to swamp the giant Donnarumma in delight then galloped back down to their own fans at the other end of Wembley to the tones of Notti Magiche, their 1990 World Cup hosting song.
England can take consolation from reaching the European final for the first time before the penalties curse struck yet again, as it had in the semi-finals of the 1990 World Cup and Euro 96.
In the aftermath scrutiny will fall on manager Gareth Southgate’s decision to bring on the ‘cold’ Rashford and Sancho in the last minute of extra time, especially for the shootout.
The tournament calendar had afforded England one day fewer to rest, recuperate and press the restart button for the national team’s first major final since the 1966 World Cup victory over West Germany.
But in the end it was not fatigue but superior skill and will which brought Italy through.
Coach Roberto Mancini, who has led Italy on a record 34-matcn unbeaten run, said: "The guys were amazing. This is a wonderful squad. This game was always going to be difficult and, after their early goal even more so, but we dominated from then on. You need a little luck on penalties and I'm a little sorry for England because they also played a great tournament."
England made a sensational scoring by opening the scoring inside two minutes through leftback Luke Shaw. Italy did not raise a shot until almost the halfhour. Even then Lorenzo Insigne’s 25-yard effort was low, wide and harmless before Chiesa fired narrowly wide of Jordan Pickford’s left-hand post.
The second half saw Italy playing their best, holding possession and seeking to interchange their way through the heart of the England defence. Insigne had a cross-shot was pushed away by Pickford who then saved alertly from Chiesa before Bonucci equalised after a corner.
Italy, to their own frustration, were unable to force a winner before the end of 90 minutes or even extra time. So to penalties and eventual victory. As Donnarumma said: "We have done something extraordinary. We are a fantastic team and we deserve this."
The hosts had rocketed off to a perfect start with a second-minute goal from Luke Shaw but Italy forged a determined path back into the game and deserved a 67th-minute equaliser from Leonardo Bonucci.
More than that, the Azzurri could count themselves unfortunate not to have emerged after the initial 90 minutes as champions for the second time since their 1968 success when they, too, were hosts.
Victory was owed above all to the creative skills of the likes of Federico Chiesa and Marco Verratti plus the defensive solidity of Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini and shootout hero-keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma above all.
Marcus Rashford missed one penalty but Donnarumma's subsequent saves from Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka then proved fatal in the 3-2 denouement.
The Italian players raced from halfway to swamp the giant Donnarumma in delight then galloped back down to their own fans at the other end of Wembley to the tones of Notti Magiche, their 1990 World Cup hosting song.
England can take consolation from reaching the European final for the first time before the penalties curse struck yet again, as it had in the semi-finals of the 1990 World Cup and Euro 96.
In the aftermath scrutiny will fall on manager Gareth Southgate’s decision to bring on the ‘cold’ Rashford and Sancho in the last minute of extra time, especially for the shootout.
The tournament calendar had afforded England one day fewer to rest, recuperate and press the restart button for the national team’s first major final since the 1966 World Cup victory over West Germany.
But in the end it was not fatigue but superior skill and will which brought Italy through.
Coach Roberto Mancini, who has led Italy on a record 34-matcn unbeaten run, said: "The guys were amazing. This is a wonderful squad. This game was always going to be difficult and, after their early goal even more so, but we dominated from then on. You need a little luck on penalties and I'm a little sorry for England because they also played a great tournament."
England made a sensational scoring by opening the scoring inside two minutes through leftback Luke Shaw. Italy did not raise a shot until almost the halfhour. Even then Lorenzo Insigne’s 25-yard effort was low, wide and harmless before Chiesa fired narrowly wide of Jordan Pickford’s left-hand post.
The second half saw Italy playing their best, holding possession and seeking to interchange their way through the heart of the England defence. Insigne had a cross-shot was pushed away by Pickford who then saved alertly from Chiesa before Bonucci equalised after a corner.
Italy, to their own frustration, were unable to force a winner before the end of 90 minutes or even extra time. So to penalties and eventual victory. As Donnarumma said: "We have done something extraordinary. We are a fantastic team and we deserve this."
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