At the end of an epic half, Italy qualifies for the final after a penalty shootout (1-1, 4-3 tab) against a Roja who is nevertheless superior in the game. She will face the England or Denmark, who face each other on Wednesday.
A clash between two styles of play, this Tuesday evening, as team sports like to offer. Until the very caricature, between a Spain sure of its technique, which wants to win by the game and the ball, and an Italy which seeks to contain the adversary and to plant banderillas. Only shots on goal were finally able to decide between these two visions of football. The Italians qualified for the final thanks to a last victorious shot from Jorginho which followed a save by Gianluigi Donnarumma, and put an end to this epic and grueling clash (1-1, 4-3 at the tabs).
The first period of this semi-final was only a siege of La Roja on a Squadra Azzurra which seemed to suffer more than choose this scenario. Italy had yet impressed in its game since the start of the Euro when Spain had oscillated between excellence and the sluggish. A competition which had certainly seen the rise of the Spaniards. We must give thanks to Luis Enrique, sometimes underestimated, but who knew how to sublimate a selection supposed to be, on paper, one of the weakest for fifteen years. However, the former Barça coach was able to get the best out of each player who makes up his squad. Still, he cannot push the ball into the opposing cages or explain each action to his defenders how not to forget himself. “We knew we would suffer in such a match. They put us in trouble. They are masters in controlling the ball ”, recognized Roberto Mancini, the Italian coach after the match.
Last scene
So Italy, yet behind in the game (less than 30% of ball possession), in the negation of football will say some, in the understanding of its limits and the rules of the round ball will say those who will have a different sensitivity, opens the scoring with an attack of dazzling verticality punctuated by a luminous strike from Federico Chiesa (60th). And if La Botte tried tactical adjustments before this opening of the scoring, to reduce even more the spaces after the goal of Chiesa, that does not prevent Alvaro Morata to equalize with ten minutes of the end, history that justice be done.
The game has tired the players and, in extra time, the Spanish possession crumbles as much as the Italian counter-attacks do not become less incisive. And everyone feels that the penalties will be the last scene of this beautiful semi-final. The Spaniard from Leipzig, Dani Olmo, yet sparkling for 120 minutes, entry magnifying glass, the Italian midfielder Manuel Locatelli imitates him, but Morata in turn gives in. A whole country can rejoice and Italy, a great nation of football, reaches its first final in international competition since Euro 2012. Still in ecstasy, Mancini has also warned: “It is not finished.”
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