Italy midfielder Manuel Locatelli on Wednesday scored two goals as the Azzurri beat Switzerland 3-0 to become the first team to reach the last 16 at UEFA Euro 2020, and they did it with a game to spare.
Italy’s wingers sprint forward like Ferraris, the midfielders are just as capable at scoring as the forwards and the reserves have looked like starters as a new-look team impress with their offensive flair at the tournament.
They also did it with their 10th consecutive victory.
Photo: Reuters
“I’m fortunate to have great players who enjoy playing soccer, like to have fun and take some risks — which is the essence of soccer,” Italy coach Roberto Mancini said.
As usual — and perhaps the only characteristic carried on from Italy teams of the past — the defense was impenetrable.
It is quite a turnaround for a team who failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Photo: AFP
Italy extended their unbeaten streak to 29 matches — one shy of the team record — and kept their 10th clean sheet in that run.
However, Mancini said that Italy still trail France, Portugal and Belgium on the list of tournament favorites.
“One of them is the World Cup champion, one is the European champion and one has been first in the ranking for quite a while,” Mancini said. “They’ve been shaped over time and it’s only normal that they’re ahead of us, but anything can happen in soccer. It’s not such a sure thing.”
Locatelli’s first goal came following a textbook exchange with US Sassuolo teammate Domenico Berardi midway through the first half.
His second came with a long, low shot shortly after the break that left Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer stranded.
Ciro Immobile added the third with another long-range effort in the 89th minute for his second score of the tournament.
Giorgio Chiellini had a goal waved off by video review early in the match because of a handball.
The Italy captain exited shortly afterward with an injured left thigh.
Italy lead Group A with six points after overwhelming Turkey 3-0 in the tournament opener.
Wales are next with four points after beating Turkey in Baku.
Switzerland have one point and Turkey have none.
“They caused us a lot of problems and we weren’t [playing] at 100 percent,” Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic said.
“We weren’t secure on the pitch, which is normally not our character,” Petkovic added.
Locatelli’s first goal was an offensive masterclass.
He started it off with a long pass from within Italy’s half to Berardi streaking down the right flank. Berardi then cut inside and crossed back to the onrushing Locatelli, who tapped in from close range.
“Manu and I know each other very well,” Berardi said. “He was smart to give me the ball and carry on the run.”
“It was an extraordinary goal,” Mancini said.
Earlier in Group B, Russia defeated Finland 1-0 in St Petersburg to claim their first points of the tournament after a loss to Belgium.
‘DREAM’: The 5-0 victory was PSG’s first Champions League title, and the biggest final win by any team in the 70-year history of the top-flight European competition Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League for the first time as Luis Enrique’s brilliant young side outclassed Inter on Saturday in the most one-sided final ever with teenager Desire Doue scoring twice in an astonishing 5-0 victory. Doue supplied the pass for Achraf Hakimi to give PSG an early lead and the 19-year-old went from provider to finisher as his deflected shot doubled the advantage in the 20th minute. Doue scored again just after the hour mark, ending any doubt about the outcome before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ran away to get the fourth and substitute Senny Mayulu, another teenager, made it five. Inter were
FRUSTRATION: Alcaraz made several unforced errors over four sets against Bosnian Damir Dzumhur, who had never made it past the third round in a major competition Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz reached the fourth round of the French Open after laboring past Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the Friday night session. The second-seeded Spaniard had never before played Dzumhur, a 33-year-old Bosnian who had never been past the third round at any major tournament. “I suffered quite a lot today,” Alcaraz said. “The first two sets was under control, then he started to play more deeply and more aggressively. It was really difficult for me.” Dzumhur hurt his left knee in a fall in the second round, and had treatment on Friday on his right leg during the
The horn sounded on Wednesday night to signal a third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final, as the Florida Panthers celebrated merely by hopping over the boards and several heading over to congratulate goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. It was a subdued celebration seemingly more befitting a regular-season win for the reigning Cup champs. “I remember a few years ago, it felt like such an accomplishment from where we were at one point,” forward Matthew Tkachuk said, adding: “It’s all business and we’ve got a bigger goal in mind.” The Panthers closed out the Carolina Hurricanes in five games, with a 5-3 victory in
STRONG CONNECTION: Although she has considered switching nationalities, Garland said that if it was not for Taiwan’s support throughout her career, she would not be in Paris British-Taiwanese player Joanna Garland on Tuesday became the first Taiwanese to clinch a victory in a main singles draw of the French Open since 2020 after she outlasted the US’ Katie Volynets in Paris. The world No. 175, Taiwan’s highest-ranked female player in singles, said she would rely on her self-belief as she prepares for her second-round match at the French Open after overcoming a serious injury to qualify for a maiden Grand Slam appearance. After navigating her way through the qualifiers last week, Garland secured her first win at the main draw of a Grand Slam by battling past world No.
RSS