The Italian team, with a granite defense and a strong attack, beat Belgium yesterday in the quarterfinals of the European Championship, in Munich, to qualify for the semifinals at Wembley, in which they will face Spain. Barella and Insigne’s goals in the first half launched an Italy that, after touching the ball with high quality, took out its most competitive and attentive version in defense to resist the attacks of Belgium, which cut distances with a maximum penalty by Romelu Lukaku and pressed until the last second without being able to avoid the elimination.
Roberto Mancini’s Italy extends the path to the European Championship of its redemption, after the absence of the World Cup, and is mentioned in the semifinals with Spain. Italy came out to play the ball with quality and Belgium, without Eden Hazard, entrusted themselves to the recovered De Bruyne, who ignited the “red devils” with his spectacular stride and his purest technique.
Their respective approaches gave life to a lively, vibrant match. An offside by Bonucci prevented Italy from advancing in the fourth hour. Shortly afterwards, a particular duel opened up between De Bruyne and goalkeeper Donnarumma, who denied him the goal with a monumental stop. And the Italian push ended up breaking the wall. Barella, with a powerful cross shot from inside the area, broke the tie and Insigne, with a curled shot from the right leg from outside the area shot the enthusiasm “azzurro” with the 2-0.
Italy, who until now had contained Lukaku with authority, thanks to the aggressive scoring of Chiellini and Bonucci, stained the first half in the last minute, when Doku, chosen by Roberto Martinez to replace Hazard, was made fall to the area by Di Lorenzo. Lukaku made it 1-2 on the scoreboard that kept Belgium alive, despite the field indicating an Italian superiority.
In the second half, Belgium looked for a draw in every possible way. De Bruyne, Doku and Chadli made Donnarumma work hard until almost the last minute of the addition. The negative note for the Italians was the injury of Spinazzola, who could miss the semifinal against Spain.
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