QUARTER-FINALS
Italy 3 - 1 Sweden
Immobile 38',
Isak 46'
Verratti 74'
Immobile 90+5'
Michael Grew
Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany
Friday 3rd July
Sweden’s European odyssey came to a controversial end on Saturday evening against an Italian side who can count themselves fortunate to be taking the flight to London to face hot favourites France this coming Tuesday. Sweden, in truth, cannot complain about what has been a fantastic run, and one that they were given little chance of achieving after losing so comprehensively in Bilbao in their first match, but they will join the long list of teams cursing the inclusion of technology to modern football, and wondering whether it has really improved the experience for players and fans alike.
Munich hadn’t hosted a Euro 2020 match for 10 days, and the city seemed to have moved on from the circus, only to be pulled back one more time for this quarter final. The fanzone remained as bombastic as ever, but the city as a whole struggled to recreate that tournament energy which we have seen across the continent these past few weeks. The atmosphere (and the drizzle) certainly appeared to affect the two sets of travelling fans, who stuck to the various beer halls that the city has to offer, making the trip to the enormous Allianz arena late in the afternoon little before kickoff.
The teams came out to the ever-catchy tune ‘I Feel Football/Football Feels Life’, which helped to bring home the enormity of the event: the chance to play in a European Championship semi final against France, who had just completed their victory against England hours earlier. And the early exchanges showed that, while the fans may have needed reminding, the players were all too aware of the importance of the fixtures. An early challenge by Victor Lindelöf saw Damir Skomina reaching for an early card, an action the Slovenian official was forced to repeat mere moments later, as Italian captain Leonardo Bonucci flew in on Swedish dangerman Alexander Isak. The resulting free kick gave Sebastian Larsson an opportunity to test Salvatore Sirigu, but his effort was so high that he had already turned away in disgust before the ball had cleared the bar. It was still early in the first half, but Sweden would look back on this effort as their only clear-cut opportunity in the whole first half.
The Italians have shown time and again in this tournament their ability to control the rhythm of the game and, while not always making for the most exciting football, it has served them well. The midfield duo of Jorginho and Nicolò Barella controlled proceedings, while Marco Verratti and Federico Chiesa looked dangerous going forward, the latter clipping the outside of the post in the 34th minute with a long range effort.
The Swedes were clearly set up to be difficult to break down, however, with both Andreas Granqvist and Lindelöf governing the centre of their defence. They allowed the Italians all the possession they pleased in their own halves, but harried and hassled them the second that they approached the Scandinavians’ area. This approach served them well until the 38th minute, when a fantastic ball from Verratti found Chiesa running into the box. He was able to get a toe onto the ball, diverting it into the path of Ciro Immobile, much maligned in this tournament, who’s first time side footed effort found the bottom corner with the sort of unerring confidence which belied the distinctly average summer that the Lazio forward has been having. One nil to Italy, and the hope that the Swedes would come out and contest the second half allowed for some belief amongst fans and reporters alike, that the match would surely spark into action after the break.
So it proved, as the second half burst into action from kickoff. The Swedes had, until now, been guilty of showing their opponents a little too much respect, and it’s possible that the gravity of the situation had also impacted them, but none of this was evident when, in the 46th minute, Isak was played through by an incisive ball from Darijan Bojanić. There are few who can contend with the 20 year old’s turn of pace, and Bonucci, already on a yellow, could do nothing to prevent his man from sprinting away and slotting the ball beneath Sirigu. The yellow and blue half of the stadium leapt to their feet, with the raucous chanting and flag waving which has become such a feature of these Euros in full view. They love their new hero and, in Isak, hope to have found a front man for years to come.
The Italians appeared shocked by this turn of events, and a confused 10 minutes ensued, with the Swedish marauding forward with the Italian backline looking all at sea. In the 57th minute, Isak burst through again, before being brought to a halt by the scrambling Bonucci in something resembling a rugby challenge. The Swedish players were incensed and the decision was sent to VAR. The Italian captain was seen removing his armband before being angrily prevented by Roberto Mancini, who told him to wait for the decision. Perhaps the suave Italian coach knew something the rest of us didn’t, as the decision came back as a free kick to Italy, Isak having been adjudged to have pulled the Italian’s shirt. Despite seeing the challenge from upwards of 5 different angles, the infringement in question remains undetectable. Had the shirt pull not have been ‘seen’ there can be no doubt that the Italians would have faced the final half hour with ten men, and having lost their captain. As it was, and as is so often the way in football, what they got instead was the momentum, as Swedish heads were lost in a fog of injustice.
The ever-present danger of Chiesa was on show once more in the 63rd minute as he flashed a ball across the area, which Immobile was mere inches away from converting for 2-1, before an effort from the edge of the area produced a smart stop from Peter Abrahamsson in the Swedish goal. The young Fiorentina striker screamed at the sky in frustration, but the second goal seemed to be a question of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’.
So it proved in the 74th minute, as an Italian corner was only half cleared as far as Verratti. The PSG star swung a foot at the ball and, although a rather wild effort, it took a deflection in the crowded box which completed wrong-footed Abrahamsson, who could only watch as the ball squirmed past him and over the line. The deflection appeared to come off Bonucci, but there can be no doubt that Verratti will be claiming the goal.
At 2-1, the Italians attempted a similar shutting up of the shop that we had witnessed in London against Ukraine, with possession football in their own half being the preferred tactic once more of Mancini’s men. However, Sweden were not done yet, and when an uncharacteristic wayward pass by Jorginho was cut out by Alexander Kačaniklić in the 87th minute, he played the ball first time towards Sebastian Andersson. The Union Berlin striker attempted to control the ball and turn his man, but ended up on the ground of the area with Swedish hands being thrown up in protest all around. The referee took a moment but did eventually point to the spot, but the decision was immediately referred upstairs. As the replay was scrolled back and forth, back and forth, the stadium fell into an anxious lull. 6 minutes passed as VAR struggled to come to a decision. Eventually, a decision was made. Andersson’s right shoulder was ruled as having been offside as the ball came towards him, and as such, the penalty decision must be reversed. Janne Andersson beat the ground in frustration, and will no doubt face UEFA chastisement for his reaction both in the moment and at full time, but one can feel nothing but sympathy for him.
As the Swedish players surrounded the referee, he chose to restart play, which resulted in the farcical scene of Verratti playing a ball to Immobile, who was stood on the halfway line. The striker looked as bemused as anyone, but turned and ran at the Swedish goal nonetheless. With only Victor Lindelöf not having gone to remonstrate with the officials, Immobile was able to sail past the Manchester United defender before hitting the ball past a static Abrahamsson, ending Swedish hopes and causing more unpleasantness in the technical areas of both nations.
The drama of the non-penalty, followed by the Immobile goal and subsequent furore meant that it was the 97th minute before the referee blew for full time. The Swedes were incensed by the manner of their defeat, and the usual conversations about officials favouring the ‘big’ teams will no doubt resurface after this debacle, as well as the ongoing discussion around the use of technology in football. What is certain, however, is that this Italian team have shown that, though perhaps not as fluent and exciting to watch as their next opponents, they have a knack for doing just what is necessary in order to progress. The French would do very well to treat their next opposition with respect when they meet in London on Tuesday.