Luciano Spalletti's Italy loses 2-0 against Switzerland and bids farewell to Euro 2024, exiting in the round of 16.
Freuler scored in the 37th minute and Vargas scored in the first minute of the second half. For the Azzurri only a post from Scamacca. Not much, really too little to get through.
Below is the match report.
FIRST HALF
For the match at the Olympiastadion in Berlin the Italian coach changes the starters again and chooses Donnarumma, Di Lorenzo, Mancini, Bastoni, Darmian, Barella, Fagioli, Cristante, El Shaarawy, Chiesa and Scamacca from the first minute.
Yakin responds with Sommer, Schar, Akanju, Ricardo Rodriguez, Rieder, Freuler, Xhaka, Aebischer, Ndoye, Embolo and Vargas.
The match direction is entrusted to the Polish referee Marciniak.
Italy lines up with 4-3-3, while Yakin puts an extra man in midfield, choosing 3-4-3.
It is Switzerland that starts with more determination, with the Azzurri containing and trying to act on the restart. In the first 20 minutes, however, no real opportunities either from Donnarumma or from Sommer.
In the 24th minute the first, great thrill: Embolo, on the verge of offside, flies into the blue area and tries to pass Donnarumma, but the goalkeeper is very good at blocking, avoiding the worst.
A minute later Italy's first outburst, with Chiesa, who does everything well in the area, but only gets a corner.
However, it is the Swiss who hold the initiative, putting pressure on the Italian rearguard. In the 34th minute yellow for Barella, who knocks down an opponent to avoid a treacherous counterattack.
In the 37th minute, Switzerland passes: Vargas sees Freuler's entry into the area, serves him perfectly and the midfielder - undisturbed - blocks with his right and then with his left he strikes Mancini and Donnarumma in one fell swoop.
Italy tries to react, but Switzerland is still playing the game. At the end of the half, El Sharaawy made a foul on Schar, who received a yellow. On the subsequent free kick, shot directly into the goal by Rieder, Donnarumma avoided the second capitulation with another great save and the help of the post .
At half-time the Azzurri were down, practically never having had a shot on goal.
SECOND HALF
In the second half, Spalletti immediately introduced Zaccagni in place of El Shaarawy, but after 32 seconds the Swiss doubled their lead: an exchange on the edge of the area and the ball went to Vargas who - undisturbed like Freuler on the first goal - unleashed a great right-footed shot that went inside crossing of the poles.
In the 51st minute, an opportunity for Italy: a throw into the Swiss area and a header by Schar towards Sommer's goal, with the ball however hitting the post.
Italy tries to regroup to create threats, but Switzerland keeps a good guard and restarts in a dangerous manner, forcing the Azzurri into a foul. Like Mancini, who also received a yellow card in the 57th minute for a tackle on the wild Vargas.
In the 64th minute Spalletti changes again: Barella out (bad game for him too) and Retegui in to strengthen the attack. In the 71st minute there were also fresh forces for Switzerland: Vargas and Rieder out and Stergiou and Zuber in.
In the 73rd minute, a timid attempt by the Azzurri: Retegui tries a left-footed shot from the edge, but the ball lands weakly in Sommer's arms.
A minute later, a colossal opportunity for Italy: a throw inside the Swiss area, Zaccagni passes to Scamacca who hits the post from two steps.
Then room for new changes: Darmian and Cristante out, making way for Cambiaso and Pellegrini. Yakin also changes, removing Embolo and Ndoye to insert Duah and Sierro.
At minute 83 Switzerland again: action on the left by Zuber, who tries the diagonal, without luck. Italy's reaction is a couple of towers for no one in the center of the area and a shot off target by Pellegrini.
Just before the 90th minute, Spalletti sends Frattesi onto the field, recalling Fagioli to the bench.
Marciniak then concedes 2 minutes of injury time. But nothing happens. And at the final whistle, it was elimination and tears for the Azzurri.
(Unioneonline/lf)