London: Italy continues the winning streak defeating England in the finals of Euro 2020 in a penalty shoot out for 3-2 at Wembley. Gianluigi Donnarumma saved two penalties to end the under achievement in European Championship. Italy is one among the most celebrated national teams with four World Cup titles and one European title since 1968. This was the first final decided on penalties since Czechoslovakia beat West Germany in 1976.
England managed to score the first two of the penalties and missed the next three whereas Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma denied Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka goals after Marcus Rashford hit a post. Meanwhile Federico Bernardeschi, Leonardo Bonucci and Domenico Berardi scored for Italy.
Luke Shaw gave the match a stunning start scoring the fastest goal ever in a European Championship finals. In the second minute of the match Shaw converted a half volley into an advantage and shook the Italian defence. Kieran Trippier was the architect of this goal and the only change in the team from the semi finals. Trippier proved to be the right choice in the very first minute of the match. Italy was unable to test the English defence and also to threaten English goalkeeper in the first half of the match. The early goal gave a psychological advantage for the English.
The second half of the match witnessed the sheer change and spirit from the Italian side. Italy slowly started taking control over the game and started threatening the goal post finally resulting in an equaliser in the 67th minute of the match. Italian team displayed it's class in the second half of the match through the style of defence and their ample domination in the game. In the 67th minute of the match Bonucci scored from a close range giving no chance to English goalkeeper Pickford.
After the early advantage England failed to create the chances in the match. English team continuously failed in utilising the early lead and the psychological advantage in the first half of the game. Italy was almost silent in the first half of the game, conceding an early goal shocked them. The last forty five minutes and the jaw dropping climax filled with ecstasy of the game reinstated the Italian legacy in the heart of the football crushing English team at their home. English team, as usual a group of young talents playing in world class football clubs, couldn't rise up to the standard and requirement of the match. This match closely resembles the 2018 world cup semi final exit against Croatia, losing the game after early advantage.
Shootout disaster continued for England which the recent list included losing to Italy at Euro 2012 as well as in the Euro 96 semi-finals against Germany when Southgate missed the crucial kick. Italy remains unbeaten since September 2018. Manccini joined the italian team as coach after the humiliating collapse in the World Cup qualifying round. This victory gives a fresh air of hope and joy for Italian football. On the other side England will have to wait for another trophy.
Both the coaches reacted after the game in the post match press conference. Italian coach Roberto Mancini expressed his happiness and commented about the performance .
"It was impossible even to think about this, but the guys were extraordinary," Mancini said.
"I don't have words for them, this is a magnificent group. We were great, we conceded an early goal and had some problems but then we dominated." he added.
English coach Gareth Southgate added that he is proud of his team and their performance throughout the tournament "The penalty takers are my call," said Southgate. "We know they were the best takers we had left on the pitch, and we tried to get those players on to the pitch.The players have given everything, not only tonight but throughout the whole tournament. They should hold their heads high... but the devastation of getting so close is difficult to put into context".
'It's coming home' was the popular slogan and rhetoric amongst the English fans. They expected to achieve their long standing dream in Euro 2020 . Most of their fans believed that the squad under the guidance of Gareth Southgate will bring it home this time . Destiny was otherwise . This match will remain as one of worst nightmare in the history of English football. Captain and key player of English team Harry Kane said "hurt for the rest of our careers"
"We should be extremely proud as a group of what we have achieved," the Tottenham striker added.
"I couldn't have given more, the boys couldn't have given more.Penalties is the worst feeling in the world when you lose. It wasn't our night but it's been a fantastic tournament and we should hold our heads high.It's going to hurt for a while, but we're on the right track and we're building and hopefully we can progress from this next year." told to BBC ONE
Rome burst into joy after the victory as this is a major title after the 2006 World Cup . According to the reports from different media agencies people are out on the street continuing the celebration ."We are coming out of a difficult year and a half which has left us exhausted, like other countries in the world," said Fabrizio Galliano, a 29-year-old from Naples who watched the match on a big screen in downtown Rome. "This means so much. Sports is one of the things that unites us, among all the things that separate us. But to finally be able to feel that joy that we've been missing, it goes beyond sports " APN news reported.
England and Italy are waiting for the Qatar World Cup to perform better for their nations. This victory and the consistency in performance will provide Italy tremendous energy and confidence for its World Cup preparations and expectations. On the other side the English team is all set to learn from the mistakes in the major tournaments since the 2018 world cup .