Status: 06/27/2021 00:10 a.m.
Italy has set a new record: Shortly before the end of regular time in the round of 16 against Austria, the Squadra Azzurra were 1144 minutes straight without conceding a goal. In order to progress, the tournament co-favorite needed extra time against a well-positioned opponent.
The record for country game minutes without conceding a goal had also previously held Italy. It came from the era of the legendary Dino Zoff in the period between 1972 and 74. The previous goal was conceded by Italy on October 14, 2020 in the Nations League in a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands by Donny van de Beek.
Joker Chiesa brings redemption
On Saturday evening (June 26th, 21st) in London, however, this zero record wobbled a few times – due to a tactically, combative and sometimes playful second half, Austria was very close to the quarter-finals. Italy only managed the redeeming winning goal in extra time: Joker Federico Chiesa scored in the 95th minute, Matteo Pessina made it 2-0 in the 105th minute.
Italy’s record series ends after 1168 minutes
Sasa Kalajdzic’s follow-up goal six minutes before the end came too late, but ended Italy’s all-time record series after 1168 minutes.
Austria starts defensively
The Italians, who recently won eleven games in a row and haven’t lost in 30 games, started the game with total control. Austria with captain David Alaba this time on the left flank defended extremely deeply and with great manpower, even center striker Marko Arnautovic switched himself into the normally foreign profession of defensive work from time to time.
Bachmann parries against Barella
Accordingly, the Squadra Azzurra found it difficult to find gaps. After a good quarter of an hour, Nicoló Barella had cleared himself in the center, Daniel Bachmann parried his low shot somewhat unconventionally with his foot.
The Austrians only got a few opportunities to counter. And when they had space, they acted too imprecisely and kept losing the balls very quickly – Gianluigi Donnarumma in the Italian goal was practically unemployed.
Unlucky real estate
His counterpart, on the other hand, had to seek outside help twice. When Austria’s offside trap didn’t snap shut in the 25th minute because Stefan Lainer was too low, Ciro Immobile had the chance to go it alone. He controlled the ball badly, so Alaba was able to clear it up with a strong rescue operation.
Immobile remained the player who caused the greatest problems for Austria’s defense. When Florian Grillitsch only accompanied him in midfield, the ex-Dortmund tried it with a robust long-range shot – instead of Alaba, the aluminum saved for Bachmann this time.
11: 1 shots on goal at break
The Italians had eleven shots on goal at break, the Austrians only booked one. The second followed immediately after the restart – and brought the first big chance. Alaba got the opportunity to free-kick from 18 meters after a foul by Barella – but he circled the ball, which Donnarumma would never have reached, just past the right angle.
As a result, Italy seemed increasingly annoyed that, despite all its superiority, simply did not want to generate any income. And Austria became bolder. Marcel Sabitzer’s deflected long-range shot barely missed the target after an hour, and Arnautovic also came to a dangerous finish shortly after, but failed due to Donnarumma.
Austria centimeters past the lead gate
In the 64th minute, Team Austria actually cheered, but only temporarily. Alaba had prevailed in the Italian penalty area in the air duel and crossed over to Arnautovic, who artfully stroked the ball past the keeper with his head. According to the referees, the goal would have counted, but Arnautovic was marginally offside during the pass – the VAR conceded the supposed 1-0 again after just under two minutes of testing time.
And Austria again bad luck with the video assistant referee. A quarter of an hour before the end, Lainer got an elbow check from Matteo Pessina in the face in the penalty area, but the possible penalty check did not come to fruition because Lainer had crossed the offside line with his knee.
Little of Italy left
The Italians made little or no progress in this phase, the goal scoring ratio for the second round had meanwhile clearly tipped in favor of the blatant outsider. Franco Foda’s tactical plan had long since proven to be brilliant, with Florian Grillitsch, who repeatedly dropped between the highly concentrated central defenders Martin Hinteregger and Aleksandar Dragovic, he had sealed off his own penalty area.
Only when strength and concentration decreased a little in extra time did Roberto Mancini’s team finally prevail. When Chiesa conceded, Alaba was very unhappy in the room, Konrad Laimer also acted too indecisively. Hinteregger acted similarly passively before the 0-2, which also scored a substitute with Pessina. Pessina’s goal was already the 100th at this European Championship in the 38th tournament game.
Austria with outstanding morals
But even after these two crashing hits, the Austrians did not give up. And they still had great opportunities: Louis Schaub had to experience in the 106th minute in his 18-meter cracker that a world record also includes a brilliant goalkeeper, Donnarumma was on the post.
Sabitzer also failed shortly afterwards from an acute angle, but then the bulwark was cracked: Sasa Kalajdzic, like all the goal scorers that night only came on, headed a corner kick just over the sward into the short corner in the 114th minute. Austria didn’t manage more than this 1: 2 – but they are allowed to leave the tournament with their heads held high. The next difficult test is now waiting for Italy: They meet the winner of the duel between Portugal and Belgium in Munich on Friday.
Source: sportschau.de