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England’s wait for a major title goes on as Italy fought back to beat them on penalties in the Euro 2020 final after the scores had finished 1-1 following extra time at Wembley.
Aiming for football to finally ‘come home after a 55-year absence since lifting the World Cup in 1966, England was forced to endure more heartache after suffering spot-kick defeat despite taking an early lead in a game that was short on quality but high on tension.
Luke Shaw’s goal had given England a dream start inside the opening two minutes, but Italy equalized through veteran defender Leonardo Bonucci in the second half.
The scores remained 1-1 after extra time as the contest went to penalties, with England trio Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka all missing their efforts with Gianluigi Donnarumma inspired in goal as Italy won the shootout 3-2.
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford had himself saved efforts from Jorginho and Andrea Belotti, but Rashford struck the post before Donnarumma guessed correctly to thwart Sancho and teenager Saka to hand Italy a second-ever European title in front of a distraught Wembley.
England had perhaps dared to hope that they had banished their spot-kick hoodoo after being haunted by penalty defeats so often down the years, but it was not to be on a cruel night for the hosts following a mostly evenly-matched game across 120 minutes of football.
Revived under Roberto Mancini since their ignominious failure to qualify for the World Cup in Russia three years ago, many will see Italy as worthy winners of a tournament which they illuminated from the opening game with their thumping 3-0 win against Turkey in Rome.
After edging past Spain on penalties in the semi-final, they prevailed from the spot again to end their own streak of defeats in the Euro finals, having fallen at the final hurdle in 2000 and 2012.
FEBRILE WEMBLEY SUFFERS MORE WOE
Any nerves were understandable as England contested a first major final in 55 years, while the Italians were far more accustomed to the big occasion, gracing a 10th major showpiece – including a fourth at the Euros – but were seeking a first European Championship since 1968.
A febrile atmosphere throughout an expectant day in London had turned from celebratory to sour as ticketless fans attempted to storm security cordons at Wembley while clashes broke out with police at hotspots including Leicester Square in the restless hours prior to kick-off.
But the anticipation finally gave way to action, and it was England who made the perfect start inside the first two minutes. Breaking from an Italian corner, captain Harry Kane sprayed the ball wide on the right to Kieran Trippier, who composed himself before picking out Luke Shaw at the back post. The England wingback arrived to bounce the ball in off the near post and past Gianluigi Donnarumma as Wembley erupted.
It was no shank as Shaw picked his spot on the half volley, writing the latest chapter in the remarkable tale of redemption for a player famously maligned by the likes of former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho.
It was also Shaw’s first strike for the Three Lions and at one minute and 57 seconds was the quickest ever opener in a European Championship final.
1:57 – Luke Shaw's opener was the quickest ever goal scored in the final of the European Championships, as well as his first ever for the England national team. Dream. #ENG #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/l80WW6f4ZL
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 11, 2021
England were off to a flyer, but the early breakthrough heralded a spell of Italian pressing as the men in blue probed the lines to find a way back into the game. England’s out-ball through the pace of Raheem Sterling continued to look dangerous though, while Italy captain Giorgio Chiellini was drawn into a succession of niggly fouls around the halfway line.
As the half pressed on, England were forced to defend deeper and deeper as Italy shifted the ball with more intent, swarming in to pinch the possession whenever the men in white attempted to break out.
So often a threat throughout the tournament, Federico Chiesa flashed a shot just left of Jordan Pickford’s upright after shirking the attentions of Declan Rice around the half-hour mark. Chiesa was then called on at the other end as Shaw raced into the Italian box, seeing his cross cut out.
England ended the half under the Italian cosh as the more than 60,000 souls in the Wembley crowd waited anxiously for a respite from the tension unfolding in front of them. Marco Verratti tested Pickford with a low shot after John Stones had been forced into a block, but England held on to take their lead into the interval.
Unbeaten in 33 games heading into the final, Italy weren’t quite clicking but it seemed evident that England would need to brace for more pressure to come in the second half.
England started the second period with shouts for a penalty when Sterling went down under pressure from Leonardo Bonucci in the box. There was an arm across the England forward as he took to the ground, but not enough for the VAR to recommend that Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers to review the incident.
Sterling then gave away a dangerous free-kick at the other end by bundling over Lorenzo Insigne on the edge of the box, but Insigne curled his effort just wide of the mark.
Mancini made a double swap 10 minutes into the second half, bringing off the ineffective Ciro Immobile and Nicolo Barella and introducing Domenico Berardi and Bryan Cristante.
Pickford was called on to stop Insigne’s shot which was drilled straight at him from an acute angle, but Italy started to turn the screws to a chorus of boos from the Wembley crowd. Any cheers were reserved for misplaced Italian passes rather than any moments of England intent.
The incisive Chiesa remained the biggest threat for Italy, weaving inside to firs off a low shot which forced Pickford to save at near full stretch down to his left. Still England held firm, indebted to the likes of the tireless Rice and Kalvin Phillips for their harrying at the base of midfield.
Any England chance of a second goal appeared most likely from a set-piece, and Stones headed over from a corner as England enjoyed a rare spell in the Italian half.
As the clock ticked down and Italy pressed, the situation seemed eerily and uncomfortably similar to England’s World Cup semi-final against Croatia three years ago in Moscow.
On that occasion, the Croatian pressure had penetrated the England line to equalize in the 68th minute – this time around, the pain came one minute earlier. After England failed to deal with a corner, Pickford palmed the ball onto the post from a Verratti header only for the lurking Bonucci to arrive to turn the ball home.
Italy had the momentum, and Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate brought on 19-year-old Bukayo Saka for Trippier and Jordan Henderson for Rice in an effort to inject some much-needed energy into his flailing team. Still the Italian ranks came, with Berardi sending a golden chance over the ball when he raced through with Pickford charging him down.
Italy looked like inevitable winners, but England dug deep and started to turn the blue tide. The tension was palpable, with Chiellini tugging down Saka in cynical style to earn a yellow card as the game went to extra time.
Sterling had the first significant chance to arrive, but the timeless Bonucci defied his 34 years to chase the winger down and block his cross into the box. Phillips then drove a shot wide of the post from the ensuing corner.
Suddenly England looked like they had a second wind, and Southgate sent on the maverick Jack Grealish as his joker in the pack as Mason Mount made way.
Into the second period of extra time and Italy were presented with a dangerous opportunity in the opening minutes with a free-kick centrally placed and 30 yards out.
Substitute Federico Bernardeschi drove the ball at Pickford, who fumbled the shot but gathered the ball gratefully before an Italian body could pounce.
Sterling eyed a chance at the other end, but again the excellent Chiellini snuffed out the danger. Jorginho then went in dangerously on Grealish with studs showing but escaped only with a yellow card.
England boss Southgate rang the changes with penalties looming, with Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho replacing Jordan Henderson and Kyle Walker.
PENALTY PAIN RETURNS FOR ENGLAND
The teams could not be separated after 120 minutes of football, sending the match – and the destination of the title – to spot-kicks.
Coming home or going to Rome, penalties would be the arbiter.
Berardi sent Pickford the wrong way to score Italy’s first effort before England skipper Kane found the corner despite Donnarumma choosing the right side of the goal.
Pickford then saved from Andrea Belotti to his left, handing England the advantage, as Maguire then sent his effort into the top corner.
Bonucci sent his strike just beyond Pickford’s reach, but Rashford then hit the post with his effort as the shootout scores were level at 2-2.
Bernardeschi sent his strike down the middle as Pickford dived despairingly to his right. Substitute Sancho was next up to England, but his effort was saved by Donnarumma diving at full stretch to his left.
Penalty master Jorginho was next up for Italy but Pickford guessed right and tipped his shot onto the post to keep the scores at 3-2 to Italy.
Saka had a chance to level the scores, but the teenager’s strike was again saved by the inspired Donnarumma as his heroics handed Italy the first taste of Euro glory since 1968.
