Alvaro Morata handed Spain a lifeline and then lost it in the penalty shoot-out as Italy secured a return to Wembley in Sunday’s European Championship final.
After the Spanish striker’s costly error and a save from Gianluigi Donnarumma, Chelsea midfielder Jorginho coolly rolled in the decisive penalty that finally ended a classic semi-final.
The teams had fought out a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes and understandably lacklustre and exhausted extra-time before Italy took the shoot-out 4-2 to advance to face Denmark or England.
Earlier Morata, controversially left out of Spain’s starting line-up by manager Luis Enrique, responded to his snub in spectacular fashion with a deserved late equaliser in this thrilling Wembley semi-final.
With time running out, and Spain trailing to Federico Chiesa’s second half opening goal, Morata was brought on with 20 minutes to go and did not need long to justify Enrique’s belated faith in him.
After 80 minutes, Aymeric Laporte’s neat pass out of defence found the Juventus striker who played a one-two with Dani Olmo before Morata advanced, the Italian defence looking tired and porous for once, and pushed a confident finish into their goal.
It forced extra-time and delayed Roberto Mancini’s attempts to continue his country’s rehabilitation on the international stage, a process that has been little short of spectacular in these Euros.
Just three years ago, Italy failed even to qualify for the World Cup in Russia, a failure that ranked as a national disgrace and one which Mancini was charged with rectifying.
But the 60th minute goal summed up perfectly the “new-look” Italians that Mancini has unlashed on these Euros.
Chiesa’s famous father, former national team striker Enrico who played for the Azzurri at the turn of the century, certainly might not recognise this thoroughly entertaining version of Italian teams of old.
And the manner of Chiesa junior’s goal exemplified that culture shift, coming from a full length of the field counter-attack sparked by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma’s swift distribution.
Marco Verratti whipped in a left-wing cross which Laporte appeared to have cleared with a sliding tackle, only for the ball to break to Chiesa who took a touch and curled a majestic finish into the Spanish goal.
An already absorbing game was turned up a notch, with Mikel Oyarzabal missing a header that looked a glorious chance to equalise and Olmo drilling a first-time snap shot just wide.
But, true to the nature of the game, Italy pressed on for a second with Chiesa finding Domenico Berardi for a shot that Unai Simon saved well with his legs.
It was part of a predictably unpredictable end to the first 90 minutes of a semi-final between two nations who have each been to two Euros finals already this century.
Spain won both of their appearances in finals, of course, and certainly Sergio Busquets did everything in his prodigious power to try and steer his country to a third.
Thanks to him, Spain edged the first half with the best chance falling to Olmo whose effort was blocked by Leonardo Bonucci, allowing him a follow-up shot that was well saved by a diving Donnarumma.
It was hard to believe this was a Spain side that had won just one of their previous games in this tournament inside 90 minutes and an Italian side unbeaten in 32 games, and winners of their last 13, looked under pressure and prone to uncharacteristic errors.
Still, the half ended with Italy coming closest yet to a goal, Emerson capping a strong first period by latching onto Lorenzo Insigne’s through ball and clipping the Spanish bar.
More from i on Euro 2020
- Why there have been so many own goals – from tiredness to lazy defending
- We need to talk about Jordan Pickford – the unsung hero of this England team
- What the Premier League could learn from Euro 2020’s controversy-free referees
- The football nomad who became a hero for his role in saving Eriksen’s life
- How to watch every Euro 2020 match on TV and online in the UK
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3hFrLvN
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