A dominant 2-0 display from Switzerland against defending champions Italy sent the Azzurri’s crashing out of the tournament on a chilly day in Berlin, Germany.
The holders, for all their heroics by Zaccagni in the last game, were far from convincing at the ongoing European championships (Euros).
Constantly vulnerable at the back throughout the tournament – which is paradoxical with Italy – the defending champions never seemed to kick out of first gear, with every Italian move against the Swiss being all too passive.
For the Swiss – after a stupendous performance in their 1-1 draw against Germany – they had nothing to lose, and celebrated wildly when Bologna’s Remo Freuler put them ahead after 37 minutes.
After constantly threatening, Switzerland were rewarded with a much-deserved strike to go into the break, laying siege in Italy’s half throughout the first half.
Italy’s manager Luciano Spalleti would have tore into his team at half-time after they were on the verge of collapse in the last game against Croatia and managed to snap a draw from the jaws of defeat.
However, if he did rip into his side, Switzerland proved lightning was certainly not going to struck twice when provider for the first goal, Vargas, turned scorer.
Vargas picked the ball inside Italy’s box before picking out the top corner, leaving the giant frame of Donnarumma – who was outstretched – nowhere close to the ball.
The goal sparked wild scenes in the Swiss end of the stadium, going two up and having the quarter-final within their grasp.
Italy’s best opportunity to halve the deficit came when Switzerland’s Fabian Schar’s defensive block wrong footed goalkeeper Yann Sommer, but struck the post and found Chiesa, whose follow up attempt left a lot to be desired.
After coming back to life (from the place of the dead) deep in stoppage time in the last game against Croatia, Italy have been laid back to rest with Switzerland moving into the quarter final.
Defending Champions off to Rome
Italy will forever remember that night in Wembley when England’s famous ‘is coming home’ catchphrase was mimicked and altered to ‘is coming Rome ‘ — and it did come to Rome as the Italians won their second European championship.
But on this night, Italy are going to Rome after a poor tournament showing, winning one game, playing out a stalemate, and losing two.
Was their exit written in the stars? Yes, it was. Nedim Bajrami’s fastest goal in Euros history for Albania -after 23 seconds – was a sign of what was to come, although Italy rallied to record a 2-1 win.
Since then, Italy lost to Spain and fought out their skins to record a draw against Croatia. Not the results and performances head coach Luciano Spalleti would expect on his tournament debut.
Spalleti — who spoke extensively on how crisp Italy’s performance was going to be against Spain, almost like the Giorgio Armani suits the Italians are draped in — hanged his head as he consoled his players and applauded the traveling supporters.
The next time the Italians and their supporters, who are very enthusiastic, will cross roads again will definitely be in Rome.
Sweetzerland March on !
The direction of travel for the Swiss, who celebrated mildly at the halfway line when the full-time whistle went until they went to their end of the stadium, is aimed at punching above their weight and going deep into the tournament.
When Yann Sommer denied Kylian Mbappé three years ago in the last 16 of Euro 2020 from the spot, what followed will forever go down as one of the greatest moments in Switzerland’s history as they reached a first ever quarter-final at the Euros.
Three years on and Switzerland are no longer within touching distance of matching their best-ever finish in the Euros, but have a grand opportunity to go a step higher.
In the way of Switzerland and history will be either one of England or Slovakia, who are set to shrug it out on Sunday – and Switzerland will relish at the prospect of facing either.
The performance against Italy added gloss to the fact that the team play as a collective unit, and neither was the result (1-1) against Germany a one-off, nor a fluke. The ever growing presence of Xhaka, who is their skipper and looked to have translated his club form to the national team, is a problem for head coach Murat Yakin.
Yakin will, obviously, take this positive headache and will hope Xhaka – who is the fulcrum and heart beat of the team- will get the necessary assistance from Premier League stars Manuel Akanji and Fabian Schar as they look to rewrite history.
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Story by: Andrews Sefa Bamfo| univers.ug.edu.gh
