Italy 1-1 (3-2 on pens.) England
‘This isn’t a football match, this is a national event’.
The pre-match words of Sir Geoff Hurst. How right he was.
For this was one of this country’s biggest ever sporting occasions.
England dreaming. England in their first European Championship Final and their first in any major final since 1966, which was also at Wembley.
Their opponents in the final of Euro 2020, a true footballing nation.
Virtually 15 years to the day since they were crowned world champions for a fourth time, on a record-breaking run of 33 matches unbeaten and contesting their 10th major tournament final: Italy, the Azzurri, the Nazionale.
An occasion to savour; a night to savour; a life-changing moment (for the winners at least).
Highlights of the game
Much of the pre-match talk had centred on the lousy security inside Wembley, made even worse by a minority of so-called fans who forced their way past barriers to get into the stadium.
Aside from that, the team sheets were eagerly anticipated.
Kieran Trippier was recalled to the starting line-up for England, replacing Arsenal teenager Bukayo Saka in the only change from the side that started the semi-final win over Denmark.
Italy, meanwhile, were unchanged from the team that survived the challenge of Spain.
If England were dreaming, it was a dream start when, just two minutes in, Luke Shaw began and finished a slick counter-attack that saw the full-back keep the ball in play, find skipper Harry Kane and, from a Kyle Walker decoy, Trippier measured his cross to perfection and Shaw was clinical.
Wembley was truly bouncing. As Euro 2020 highlights go, it was a moment England relished.
On one hand, this was the chance to scratch English sport’s last great itch. The rugby union team broke their duck in 2003, the cricketers in 2019, this was the footballers’ turn.
For Italy, a chance for a complete turnaround following their failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, an opportunity to go one better than in Euro 2000 and 2012.
There was no doubt who England’s neighbours and age-old rivals – the only nation they had not beaten this tournament – were rooting for.
Indeed, in Scotland, Italy coach Roberto Mancini was asked to ‘save us’ with Mancini depicted as Scottish warrior William Wallace on the front page of the National.
For most of the opening half though, the Scots would have been disappointed as England, despite ceding possession to the Italians, were the better side and only threatened when Federico Chiesa got away from the impressive Declan Rice and fired a low shot just wide.
Into the second half and Lorenzo Insigne drew a save from Jordan Pickford after darting into the box.
The Italian’s attacking possession-based football with three technically skilled midfielders – Marco Verratti, Jorginho and Nicolò Barella – continued to control the ball for long spells, yet it was a sign of the frustration Mancini was experiencing when he replaced the latter and forward Ciro Immobile just eight minutes after the restart.
Shortly afterwards, Chiesa should not have been able to get a shot away but Pickford’s left hand saved the day for the Three Lions before John Stones saw a header tipped away by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
As Gareth Southgate looked on, it was hard to imagine what emotions he was experiencing. His opposite number Mancini was more animated. Among his assistants was Gianluca Vialli, another Italian with experience as a player and manager in England; a duo who did as much as anyone to shape Italian football in the 1980s and 1990s and now hoping their special relationship could be the catalyst to restoring the national team to its former glory.
Pressed back more as the game wore on but, with home advantage yet again, England knew this was their chance, although the pressure took its toll midway through the second half.
A corner was flicked on at the near post by Bryan Cristante, Marco Verratti’s header was turned onto the post by Pickford but Leonardo Bonucci was ideally placed to tap home the rebound.
Suddenly, England seemed leggy, the majority of the crowd were nervous, the tension palpable.
Momentarily stung, Domenico Berardi volleyed the ball over with the onrushing Pickford committed as the SBOTOP Euro 2020 betting odds favoured Italy with every passing moment.
The loss of Chiesa, replaced by Federico Bernardeschi, was the only downside in the second period for a dominant Italian side with England on the rack, although the energy of Raheem Sterling and substitute Saka gave them glimmers of hope on the counter.
The nerves continued to jangle for those of an Italian and England persuasion, although England did better to stem the Italian control in extra time.
Chances were few, although not for a lack of effort, but there could only be one winner. And so it went to penalties…
Coming home or Coming to Rome – now we know the answer.
That was Euro 2020. What an adventure it has been.
Key statistics
Italy have become the fourth multiple European Champion with victory at Wembley, joining Germany and Spain (three titles) and France (two).
Bonucci (34 years and 71 days) has become the oldest scorer in a European Championship Final, beating the previous record of Bernd Hölzenbein in 1976 (30 years and 103 days).
Shaw’s opener was the quickest ever goal scored in the final of the European Championships, as well as his first-ever for the England national team.
Italy have scored 13 goals in Euro 2020, the highest tally for the Azzurri in a major tournament.
Italy have never lost against England at a major tournament, winning 1-0 at Euro 1980, 2-1 at both the 1990 and 2014 World Cups, and drawing 0-0 before winning on penalties at Euro 2012 and today.
The Azzurri are now level with Spain and the Soviet Union on four final appearances; only Germany (six) have featured in more.
What’s next?
England go to Hungary and host minnows Andorra in early September in World Cup qualifiers, while Italy entertain Bulgaria and travel to Switzerland on the same days.
At the moment, though, those fixtures pale into insignificance for both nations.
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