ITALY ENDS SPAIN'S HOPE OF RETAINING TITLE
Italy put in a
dominant performance as they beat the defending champions Spain 2-0 in Paris on
Monday and set up a quarter-final tie against Germany at Euro 2016.
Antonio Conte's side took
the lead in the 33rd minute through defender Giorgio Chiellini and they could
have had more but for three superb saves from David de Gea.
De Gea continued to deny
Italy in the second half with the Manchester United goalkeeper stopping Eder
and substitute Lorenzo Insigne.
Spain had a golden chance
to equalise right at the death through Gerard Pique but Gianluigi Buffon was
alert to the danger, making a brilliant save before Graziano Pelle's strike
sealed victory in injury-time.For Spain, who lost a knockout game at a major
tournament for the first time since 2006, the result ends an era of dominance
at the European Championships following their victories at the tournament in
2008 and 2012 - and comes just two years after they crashed out at the group
stage in Brazil.
Vicente del Bosque named an
unchanged side for the fourth consecutive game at Euro 2016, while Italy made
seven changes from the side that suffered at 1-0 defeat to Republic of Ireland
in their final group game.
Pelle was restored in
attack alongside Eder by Conte and it was the Southampton man who went close to
breaking the deadlock in the eighth minute, his powerful header kept out by the
diving De Gea
Spain were struggling to
get into the game, however they had a rare chance in the 20th minute when
Nolito picked out Cesc Fabregas on the edge of the penalty area, only for his
low drive to be blocked by Chiellini.
Italy that stayed in
control as Mattia De Sciglio's picked out Marco Parolo, but the midfielder
could not direct his header on target.
De Sciglia was causing
plenty of problems for Spain on the right and Sergio Ramos nearly sliced an
attempted clearance into his own net following the AC Milan star's 26th minute
cross.
They were not to be denied
for long though despite another De Gea save. He kept out Eder's powerfully
struck free-kick before an outstretched boot stopped Giaccherini reaching the
rebound.
But he could not stop
Juventus defender Chiellini, who fired home from close range to give his side a
deserved lead.
It could have been even
worse for Spain had De Gea not come to the the rescue again as he plucked an
Alessandro Florenzi cross out of the air before brilliantly denying Giaccherini
on the stroke of half-time.
Spain gradually worked
their way into the game after the break and Alvaro Morata missed a superb
chance in front of goal, picking out Buffon with his header from close range.
It was a rare opportunity
though for Del Bosque's side as Italy continued to come close to a second on
the counter-attack.
Eder was again denied by De
Gea in the 56th minute after the Sampdoria striker was put in on goal by
Pelle's flick.
Spain pushed hard for an
equaliser as the game wore on with substitute Aritz Aduriz shooting wide after
a fine dummy by Andres Iniesta, then Fabregas playing through Lucas Vazquez
only to find the substitute marginally offside.
And Italy were helped out
by their own world-class goalkeeper as Buffon kept out strikes from distance
from Iniesta and then Pique.
But the best of the lot was
his smart block to keep out from the Barcelona defender as the game approached
injury time.
That allowed Pelle to
round-off another impressive Italy performance with an quality finish to send
his country through to the last eight.
Dee Gea in action for Spain |
Source:Skynews
ITALY ENDS SPAIN'S HOPE OF RETAINING TITLE
Reviewed by adeyemo nathaniel
on
Monday, June 27, 2016
Rating:
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