NEWS MON 27 JUN 2016
Antonio Conte's Italy booked their place in the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 after eliminating holders Spain this evening.
It was a dominant display by the Italians, who were the better side throughout and progressed courtesy of a 2-0 win, Giorgio Chiellini and Graziano Pelle scoring in each half.
Conte made a number of changes to the Italy side which lost 1-0 to Republic of Ireland in their final group game last Wednesday and they started the game on the front foot, with Spain goalkeeper David de Gea making two brilliant saves inside the opening 10 minutes, first getting down brilliantly to tip a Pelle header away and then moments later pushing a Emanuele Giaccherini volley against the post.
Spain were unchanged from the team which started all three group matches, meaning Cesc Fabregas continued in midfield alongside Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets.
The Chelsea midfielder had their first sight of goal after 19 minutes but saw his strike from the edge of the box charged down following good work by Nolito, while at the other end Sergio Ramos was relieved to see his miscued clearance fly over the bar from right in front of goal.
Italy’s organisation and willingness to fight for each other was extremely impressive and having been the better team during the opening half-hour, they took a deserved lead after 33 minutes.
Eder’s powerful free-kick, awarded for a needless foul by Ramos, was only parried by De Gea and Juventus defender Chiellini reacted quickest to stab the loose ball home from close range.
Spain offered very little as an attacking threat in the first half, with their creative players such as Fabregas, Iniesta and David Silva not seeing enough of the ball to have a positive impact on proceedings and trouble a well-drilled Italian defence.
As the first half drew to a close it was Italy looking the more threatening of the sides once again and De Gea, who had kept Spain in the game during the opening 45 minutes, produced another stunning save to deny Giaccherini who had cut inside and curled his effort towards the far corner.
Aritz Aduriz replaced Nolito at half-time for Spain, with the substitute taking up a central striker’s position and Morata shifting out to the left-hand side. Morata then sprung into life, going close with a header and then having a penalty appeal waved away after going down in the box.
Italy, however, remained a threat and should have gone 2-0 up nine minutes after the restart when Eder, who was clean through on goal after latching on to a clever Pelle flick, saw his strike brilliantly saved by De Gea.
With 21 minutes left on the clock Aduritz passed up a decent opportunity for Spain when he fired wide from a good position after Iniesta’s intelligent dummy had allowed the ball to run into his path.
Fabregas’s corner was then headed narrowly over the bar by Ramos as the holders attempted to find a way back into the game, while Gianluigi Buffon was called upon twice in quick succession, saving to deny both Iniesta and Gerard Pique.
Pedro replaced the injured Aduriz for the final 10 minutes, playing straight through the middle as a striker rather than in his customary wide role, and he was a fraction away from connecting with a teasing Silva delivery as the clock ticked down.
It looked as though Spain’s last chance had gone but in the 89th minute they were presented with a golden opportunity to equalise, only to see it go begging as Pique’s volley was expertly turned away by Buffon, and from their next attack Italy put the seal on the victory their display had merited when the impressive Pelle converted Matteo Darmian’s cross.
Cesar Azpilicueta was an unused substitute for Spain.
Italy will now play Germany on Saturday with a place in the semi-finals at stake.
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