Italy defeated England in the Euro 2020. England has been waiting to bag a title for half a century now. The wait continues.
Italy won the European Championship for the second time by beating England 3-2 on penalties on Sunday. The match finished 1-1 after extra time at Wembley Stadium. The venue was filled with majority of the fans from United Kingdom. The English fans were expecting to celebrate the first international trophy since the 1996 World Cup.
Italy’s goal keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma saved the decisive spot kick by 19-year-old Londoner Bukayo Saka. England failed to score in three penalty spots in the shootout. Apart from Bukayo, Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford also missed their targets.
Sancho and Saka cried on the other hand Italy’s goalkeeper, Donnarumma, was mobbed by his teammates as they sprinted toward him from the halfway line at the end of the second penalty shootout in a European Championship final.
Just 4 years ago Italy was at her lowest when she failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in its soccer history. That was the first time in 6 decades Italy missed the world cup. Now Italy is the best team in Europe. Roberto Mancini, was their able coach. Italian captain Giorgio Chiellin lifted the trophy to the backdrop of a ticker tape and fireworks.
“It was impossible even to just consider this at one stage,” Mancini said, “but the guys were just amazing. I have no words for them.”
England has in the past faced a series of defeats such as those in 1990, 1996, 1998, 2004, 2006 and 2012. In 2018 World Cup, England defeated Colombia on penalties.
“Penalties are the worst feeling in the world when you lose. It’s been a fantastic tournament — we should be proud, hold our heads up high. It’s going to hurt now, it’s going to hurt for a while,” said Harry Kane- England captain.
It is estimated that there were more than 67,000 spectators at Wembley Stadium. Many of the fans forced their way past the stewards without tickets.
During the game, the ball possession was dominated by Italy’s midfielders, just as it was predicted by the soccer pundits.
Bonucci score an equalizing goal for Italy. He got a pass from Marco Verratti. On the England side, the penalty from Rashford hot the goal post as well as that of Sancho.
Now instead of the trophy remaining in England, it headed to Rome, Italy.
“We’d heard it day in, day out from Wednesday night — we heard it would be coming home to London,” Bonucci said. “I’m sorry for them, but the cup will be taking a nice flight, making its way to Rome so Italians all over the world can enjoy this.
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