Italy waits for Red Devils after 120-minute thriller against Austria | European Championship 2020

Due to the absence of Chiellini and the return of Verratti, Italian national coach Mancini had some decisions to make. He put Acerbi on the defensive and chose Verratti over Locatelli in midfield. Against the stiff playing Austria, which had not been able to beat the Squadra for more than sixty years, it wouldn’t matter much anyway.

But we hardly got to see anything of the fresh Italian football in the group stage. An aggressive Austria chased every ball fiercely and aborted every attempt at attack. Gradually, the Italians were able to translate their dominance in the field into an opportunity. After another run from Spinazzola, Barella made a controlled effort and had to save Bachmann with a leg sweep. A little later, a sudden bang from Immobile stranded on the stake.

Austria, with all its enthusiasm, did not come up with many full-scale attacks. Arnautovic sometimes ran after a deep ball to ram high over it, but that was all. Das Team did manage to neutralize the Italians completely in the last fifteen minutes before half time.

In the second half, Austria unexpectedly came out of its shell. Arnautovic didn’t have enough energy to complete a complicated dribble and Alaba curled over a promising free kick. Italy did not know anymore and to make matters worse, swallowed the 0-1. Arnautovic nodded well, or so he thought. The VAR drew a line through the goal: offside.

Mancini pulled Verratti and Barella to the sidelines and brought in Locatelli and Pessina, who had to change the Azzurri’s stereotypical football. The Italians again clawed their way into the game, but could really only put their foot next to the Austrians. After all, they smelled that there was a stunt of size in it.

After all, they were not immediately impressed by a poorly aimed shot from Locatelli and a failed frivolous lob from Insigne. Berardi illustrated Italy’s poverty of ideas with a completely contrived attempt at circumlocution. Going into overtime, the Squadra had lost almost all of its shine.

In the first minutes of extra time, Chiesa demanded all the attention. First he found Bachmann on his way with a vicious shovel, a little later he hit the mark. He plucked the ball wonderfully out of the air, bypassed Lainer and made it 1-0 with a watched shot.

The fatigue crept into the legs of the Austrians. They survived a brushed free kick from Insigne, but it was 2-0 before the end of the first extra period. The struggling Belotti served Pessina, and she finished it delicately.

Yet Austria refused to throw in the towel. Schaub forced Donnarumma to a strong reflex and Sabitzer wasted a double shot. An improbable header from Kalajdzic put the flames completely in the pan. He scored a corner between four Italians from far in front of the first post. That meant another ten minutes of shivering for Italy, who eventually persevered.