November 8, 2024

Italy 2-1 Austria (aet): Azzurri survive scare to reach Euro 2020 quarter-finals

Italy #Italy

Dates: 11 June-11 July. Venues: Amsterdam, Baku, Bucharest, Budapest, Copenhagen, Glasgow, London, Munich, Rome, Seville, St Petersburg. Coverage: Live on BBC TV, BBC Radio 5 Live, iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

Italy needed extra time to see off battling Austria at Wembley and set up a Euro 2020 quarter-final against Belgium or Portugal.

Austria marked their first appearance in the knockout stage of the European Championship with a tireless performance to give their much-fancied opponents a scare.

Marko Arnautovic had a headed goal disallowed after a VAR check for offside in normal time when the game was goalless before goals from substitutes Federico Chiesa and Matteo Pessina sent Italy through.

Chiesa showed terrific technique to bring the ball down and beat Daniel Bachmann from an angle while Pessina, who scored in the group game against Wales, doubled the score from close range.

Austria pulled a goal back through Sasa Kalajdzic’s brave header, the first goal Italy have conceded in 12 games, but the Azzurri’s 31st match without defeat – a new national record – sees them march on.

Italy had the best of the first-half chances as Nicolo Barella was denied by Austria’s Watford keeper before Ciro Immobile struck the post from 25 yards.

Austria produced a terrific defensive display to frustrate the four-time world champions, while creating opportunities of their own.

Arnautovic put one chance over the bar and, with another, fired straight at the keeper, while David Alaba went close from a free-kick before the disallowed goal.

Italy will meet the winners of Sunday’s last-16 game between Belgium, the top-ranked side in the world, and holders Portugal in the quarter-finals in Munich on 2 July.

Substitutes win it for Azzurri

Roberto Mancini’s Italy have been one of the standout teams at Euro 2020 but they struggled to repeat the form which earned them three straight group wins in what was their first match away from Rome.

They were lacklustre after half-time and it was only when Mancini made changes that they finally got themselves in front.

Chielsa and Pessina scored in the space of 10 first-half extra-time minutes to take the game away from Austria, who had been written off before the match.

Even then Kalajdzic, another substitute, was allowed to pull a goal back and make it a tense ending before Italy’s fans in the 18,910 crowd were finally able to celebrate.

Mancini has got Italy believing again – but they will have to play better than this if they are to win the next match and reach the semi-finals.

Player of the match

SpinazzolaLeonardo Spinazzola

Line-ups Italy

Formation 4-3-3

21G Donnarumma

2Di Lorenzo19Bonucci15Acerbi4Spinazzola

18Barella8Jorginho6Verratti

11Berardi17Immobile10Insigne

  • 21G Donnarumma
  • 2Di LorenzoBooked at 50mins
  • 19Bonucci
  • 15Acerbi
  • 4Spinazzola
  • 18BarellaBooked at 51mins Substituted forPessinaat 67’minutes
  • 8Jorginho
  • 6Verratti Substituted forLocatelliat 67’minutes
  • 11Berardi Substituted forChiesaat 84’minutes
  • 17Immobile Substituted forBelottiat 84’minutes
  • 10Insigne Substituted forCristanteat 108’minutes
  • Substitutes

  • 1Sirigu
  • 5Locatelli
  • 9Belotti
  • 12Pessina
  • 13Emerson
  • 14Chiesa
  • 16Cristante
  • 20Bernardeschi
  • 22Raspadori
  • 23Bastoni
  • 25Tolói
  • 26Meret
  • Austria

    Formation 4-2-3-1

    13Bachmann

    21Lainer3Dragovic4Hinteregger8Alaba

    23Schlager10Grillitsch

    24Laimer9Sabitzer19Baumgartner

    7Arnautovic

  • 13Bachmann
  • 21Lainer Substituted forTrimmelat 114’minutes
  • 3DragovicBooked at 120mins
  • 4HintereggerBooked at 103mins
  • 8Alaba
  • 23Schlager Substituted forGregoritschat 105’minutes
  • 10Grillitsch Substituted forSchaubat 105’minutes
  • 24Laimer Substituted forIlsankerat 114’minutes
  • 9Sabitzer
  • 19Baumgartner Substituted forSchöpfat 90’minutes
  • 7ArnautovicBooked at 2mins Substituted forKalajdzicat 97’minutes
  • Substitutes

  • 1Schlager
  • 2Ulmer
  • 5Posch
  • 6Ilsanker
  • 11Gregoritsch
  • 12Pervan
  • 14Baumgartlinger
  • 15Lienhart
  • 16Trimmel
  • 17Schaub
  • 18Schöpf
  • 25Kalajdzic
  • Live Text

  • Match ends, Italy 2, Austria 1.

  • 120’+2′

    Second Half Extra Time ends, Italy 2, Austria 1.

  • 120’+1′

    Aleksandar Dragovic (Austria) is shown the yellow card.

  • 120′

    Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Italy) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  • 120′

    Foul by David Alaba (Austria).

  • 119′

    Attempt missed. Federico Chiesa (Italy) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Manuel Locatelli.

  • 119′

    Attempt missed. Michael Gregoritsch (Austria) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.

  • 117′

    Andrea Belotti (Italy) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  • 117′

    Foul by Stefan Ilsanker (Austria).

  • 114′

    Goal! Italy 2, Austria 1. Sasa Kalajdzic (Austria) header from the right side of the six yard box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Louis Schaub with a cross following a corner.

  • 114′

    Substitution, Austria. Christopher Trimmel replaces Stefan Lainer.

  • 114′

    Substitution, Austria. Stefan Ilsanker replaces Konrad Laimer.

  • 113′

    Corner, Austria. Conceded by Leonardo Spinazzola.

  • 113′

    Attempt blocked. Louis Schaub (Austria) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

  • 112′

    Attempt blocked. Andrea Belotti (Italy) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

  • 111′

    Andrea Belotti (Italy) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  • 111′

    Foul by Konrad Laimer (Austria).

  • 111′

    Attempt missed. Marcel Sabitzer (Austria) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is too high.

  • 109′

    Attempt missed. Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Italy) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Bryan Cristante with a headed pass following a fast break.

  • 108′

    Offside, Italy. Jorginho tries a through ball, but Andrea Belotti is caught offside.

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