Italy top England in Penalty Shootout, Win Dramatic Euro 2020 Final
Jul 11, 2021
Italian players celebrate after the penalty shootout of the Euro 2020 soccer final match between England and Italy at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, July 11, 2021. (Laurence Griffiths/Pool via AP)
Italy spoiled the party for England and its fans, securing the Euro 2020 title through penalty kicks Sunday at Wembley Stadium.
Ninety minutes weren't enough to settle the match despite Luke Shaw giving England an early lead. Leonardo Bonucci equalized in the second half for Italy, eventually forcing extra time with a 1-1 score—the second successive extra-time match for both teams.
After 30 scoreless minutes of extra time, the match came down to penalty kicks.
It created an opportunity for goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to become the hero after saving two shots on the way to a 3-2 Italy win.
It gave the Azzurri their first European title since 1968. They completed an impressive run to the championship with wins over England, Spain and Belgium.
England had been seeking its first major trophy since the 1966 World Cup, but fans will have to wait for at least a little longer for it to come home.
Donnarumma came up huge for Italy in the penalties, although there were major question marks surrounding the selection process for England manager Gareth Southgate heading into penalties.
Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho were each subbed on in the closing minutes of extra time specifically for penalties but both missed, with Rashford hitting the post.
A lot has been said about how England have learned how to win penalty shoot-outs, but having two players on for 90 seconds before taking one doesn't seem very scientific. Really tough for Rashford and Sancho.
The connection from wing back to wing back helped provide an early reward for Southgate, who made the tactical switch to use five defenders in the match after going with a 4-2-3-1 formation in the semifinal win over Denmark.
Trippier got the start after only playing in extra time last match, and the adjusted formation made a significant difference in the first half.
Trippier having loads of joy down the right. Italy don't look prepared for England's wing-backs. Another Southgate astute change by Southgate as it stands.
With two defensive midfielders also in the lineup, Italy struggled to get many scoring opportunities on the way to a 1-0 halftime score.
Italy controlled 64 percent of possession and outshot England 6-1 in the first half, but there were few chances that truly tested goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
The second half was a different story, as the Azzurri picked up the pressure and began to penetrate into the final third while England barely even looked at the net.
Federico Chiesa was the biggest difference-maker while creating several quality opportunities near the net:
It set up loads of drama for the final 20 minutes of regulation, but neither team found a winner.
An injury to Chiesa took away a major scoring threat for Italy, while England had trouble getting the ball to its attackers. It was surprisingly the defenders who made the biggest plays on both sides.
England had four shots (0.42 xG) in regulation:
🏴 Defender Luke Shaw 🏴 Defender Harry Maguire 🏴 Defender John Stones 🏴 Defender Luke Shaw
The two sides stayed relatively conservative in extra time, each seemingly playing for penalties while hoping to avoid a drastic mistake. It led to a scoreless set of halves as the match came down to attempts from the spot.
Pickford saved shots from Andrea Belotti and Jorginho to keep England alive, but the offensive players couldn't do enough to lead the host country to victory.
Italy arguably deserved the title after outplaying England for much of the day, while England must now turn its head toward the 2022 World Cup as they try to bring it home.
Milan-Cortina Chosen as 2026 Winter Olympics Host Site over Stockholm-Are
Jun 24, 2019
International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach shows the card with the name Milan/Cortina d'Ampezzo as the winning name of the 2026 Winter Olympics during the 134th session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in Lausanne on June 24, 2019. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP) (Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)
Italy defeated a joint bid from Sweden and Latvia, with Stockholm and Are vying to serve as host areas and Latvia's Sigulda prepared to host bobsled, luge and skeleton events. Sweden surprisingly has yet to host a Winter Games, with Stockholm serving as the host city for the 1912 Summer Olympics.
Italy, meanwhile, has hosted the Winter Games in both Turin (2006) and Cortina (1956), and the Summer Games in Rome (1960).
As for the 2026 Games, Italy still has some work to do. According to the Associated Press (h/tPBS.org), "Milan needs to build a hockey arena with private funding. An athlete village in the city is planned anyway for university student housing. The IOC's efficiency drive means it wants Bormio cut as the men's Alpine ski venue, and the women's venue Cortina used instead."
And Jere Longman of theNew York Timesreported that the initial budget for the 2026 Games is $1.7 billion, but "these costs always rise, often significantly." Additionally, "The International Olympic Committee has pledged to contribute $925 million to organizers from television rights, corporate sponsorships, ticket sales and merchandising."
The next Winter Games will be held in Beijing in 2022.
