Monday 20 / January / 2025
Muscat: Italy have won Euro 2020, after beating England 3-2 on penalties at Wembley.
Luke Shaw gave the English the best possible start, crashing home a shot, easing the hosts’ early nerves, and sending a partisan Wembley into frenzied cheers, as he duly converted Kieran Trippier’s cross on the counter following an Italian corner.
Leonardo Bonucci, however, equalised from point blank range just after the hour mark, and subsequently forced extra time. Three of England’s young talents – Bukayo Saka, Jadon Sancho, and Marcus Rashford – all missed penalties, which means Italy have won their second Euro trophy to add to their four World Cup triumphs, the last of which was also won on penalties.
It was the first time Italy had conceded first in the entire tournament, but Roberto Mancini’s team are made of some pretty stern stuff: they were far from the favourites to win it at the start but have proved their doubters wrong in making it all this way.
The Italians had six shots in the direction of England’s goal in the first half, but only one of them was on target. They also dominated possession, retaining the ball for 65 percent of the first forty-five minutes, but crucially, it was England who managed to retain their lead.
Shaw’s first international goal seemed to get to the Azzurri, as exemplified by centre-back Leonardo Bonucci’s decision to shoot for goal deep into first half added time, when there was little chance of his attempt troubling goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
It was a similar experience for Federico Chiesa, who did well to gallop through the England midfield that simply could not seem to stop him, but his attempt from outside the box flashed narrowly wide of the post.
Still buzzing from their early goal, England attacked their opponents from the very start of the second half. Raheem Sterling thought he’d earned his side a chance to double their lead when he was brought down inside the box around the 47th minute, but the officials were not convinced.
Blood still pumping, he then conceded a needless freekick just outside his own box, one that Lorenzo Insigne fired just wide of Pickford’s upright.
A few minutes later, Mancini introduced Bryan Cristante into his midfield to try and inject some more creativity. Insigne made a burst into the box with the intention of threatening Pickford soon afterwards, but that aside, the visitors continued to look bereft of ideas as the game at Wembley – which had taken on a party atmosphere – ticked towards the hour mark.
Italy’s best chance of the second half so far however, came just as the game crossed 60 minutes. The threatening Chiesa found himself in prime position to shoot, only to be denied by an excellent Pickford save that was made all the better, given he had to wait until the very last second to attempt to block out the shot.
With the defenders ahead of him caught napping, the Everton goalkeeper cut a figure equally furious and frustrated as he questioned why they hadn’t done more to stop the Juventus winger. Chiesa was by far the best Italian player on the pitch, as he proved when he sent in a tantalising cross for Insigne to attack, only for Harry Maguire to make a crucial interception and send the ball behind for a corner.
That set piece would prove to be England’s undoing: An in-swinging corner was headed onto Marco Verratti, who tried to fire goalwards. His shot hit the post, and came out to Bonucci, who did not hesitate to tuck home the rebound from point-blank range and make it 1-1 in the 67th minute.
To give England more impetus, boss Gareth Southgate chose to bring on Bukayo Saka for Kieran Trippier. Italy, though, continued to dominate possession, which had increased to 71 percent in the second half.
With their tails up, Italy continued to chase the lead: Domenico Berardi, in the 74th minute, raced through onto a lofted through ball, only for an onrushing Pickford to put him off and fluff his lines. But the chances now kept coming for Italy. Cristante found Insigne, and the Napoli man would have fired for goal had he not been crowded out by England’s defenders.
England’s tormentor in chief Chiesa had to hobble off with 10 minutes remaining after Kyle Walker trod on his ankle, and it is telling that the Three Lions’ best spell of the second half came while his team were temporarily reduced to 10 men.
He could not continue, however, and had to be replaced by fellow Juve teammate Federico Bernardeschi was required to come on. His freshness would be required, as it turned out, with extra time required to separate yet another set of teams at Euro 2020. The first action of extra time saw a wincing Insigne replaced by Andrea Bellotti.
Five minutes into extra time, England were provided an opportunity to score when Sterling was released down the left flank, only for the ever-reliable Giorgio Chiellini to foil his plans. With players feeling the effect of the game, Mancini then chose to take off Marco Verratti and replace him with Manuel Locatelli. Jack Grealish subsequently came on for England.
Wembley’s faithful were stunned into silence once again, as the Italians came mightily close to taking the lead: Emerson’s cross could have ended up in the back of the net, had it not ricocheted off the back of Pickford, who once again did not hesitate to share a piece of his mind with his defenders.
Both Pickford and his opposite number Gianluigi Donnarumma would be tested in the opening exchanges of the second half of extra time, as Bernardeschi’s shot and Harry Kane’s cross into the box both needed saving.
Sterling was then presented with another opportunity to put his side in the lead once again, only for the Italian defence to foil him. The Italians seemed happy now to sit back and wait for penalties, allowing England to attack with nine minutes to go.
With penalties all but certain, Southgate elected to bring on players who were more likely to score from the spot, introducing Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho in the last minute of extra time.
Both sides knew what was at stake, as Berardi walked up to take the first kick, sending Pickford the wrong way. Harry Kane responded in kind, lashing the penalty past Donnarumma.
Bellotti, up next for Italy, let the pressure get to him, allowing Pickford to same, ensuring an almighty roar from the fans behind and around him. Maguire, with the chance to put England ahead, did just that, arrowing his spot kick into the top right corner, so emphatically it ruined the in-goal camera installed there.
With England leading 2-1 in the shootout, Bonucci restored parity for at least a short while, calmly firing past Pickford. The Three Lions’ next taker, Rashford, had been brought on just for penalties, saw his stuttering run up end in his effort striking the base of the post.
Bernardeschi made no mistake in punishing Rashford for that error, stroking the ball down the centre of the goal. Donnarumma took Italy one step closer to victory when he foiled the other sub, Sancho, to take Italy within striking distance from victory.
Jorginho, the hero against Spain in the semis, could not repeat his heroics against Pickford, his rolled penalty snapped up by the keeper. On the night of the final, however, it would be his opposite number, Donnarumma, who saved England’s final penalty from Saka, and make history for Italy.
