Italy will play in Sunday’s UEFA EURO 2020 final after seeing a lead wiped out but then defeating Spain on penalties at Wembley.
They had led through Federico Chiesa on the hour but substitute Álvaro Morata forced extra time. It went to a shoot-out and after Morata himself was denied, Jorginho rolled in the clincher for Roberto Mancini’s team.
Match in brief
Italy started brightly but Spain began to take control in midfield. The first clear chance came on 25 minutes when Dani Olmo, spearheading the Spain attack after being picked ahead of Morata, pounced on a loose ball but was denied by Gianluigi Donnarumma. Later in the first half Italy threatened down the left, Emerson clipping the woodwork with a shot across goal.
The opening period had only simmered but the second half boiled over with chances, Ciro Immobile and Sergio Busquets going close before Chiesa forced a save from Unai Simón. On the hour mark, that man Chiesa broke the deadlock, picking up a loose ball on the edge of the box, cutting inside and curling a shot inside the far post.
Spain responded well, Mikel Oyarzabal and Olmo looking menacing. At the other end, Chiesa showed his pace to set up substitute Domenico Berardi, blocked by Unai Simón. Berardi, again, nearly doubled the advantage with ten minutes left but once more could not beat the Spain keeper; La Roja went straight up the other end and Morata, brought on after the Italy goal, levelled following a smart passing exchange with Olmo.
In extra time, Italy somehow survived a succession of shots in which both Olmo and Morata had efforts repelled, and shortly afterwards Marcos Llorente was similarly frustrated by Leonardo Bonucci. But it went to penalties, Unai Simón saving the first kick from Manuel Locatelli and Olmo then missing. Spain’s fourth attempt from Morata was stopped by Donnarumma and Jorginho coolly slotted in the winner.
Star of the Match: Federico Chiesa (Italy)
“He scored the goal and was difficult to stop for Spain at times during the game.”
Line-ups
Italy: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bonucci, Chiellini, Emerson (Tolói 74); Barella (Locatelli 85), Jorginho, Verratti (Pessina 74); Chiesa (Bernardeschi 107), Immobile (Berardi 61), Insigne (Belotti 85)
Spain: Unai Simón; Azpilicueta (Llorente 85), Eric García (Pau Torres 109), Laporte, Jordi Alba; Koke (Rodri 70), Sergio Busquets (Thiago 106), Pedri; Oyarzabal (Moreno 70), Olmo, Ferran Torres (Morata 62)
