Full time: Switzerland 2-0 Italy
Full time: Remo Freuler and Ruben Vargas got the goals as Switzerland advanced to the quarter-finals in the face of shockingly feeble Italian opposition. Their players are now celebrating with abandon in front of their fans and can now look forward to a match against England or Slovakia. Read Jonathan Liew’s match report from the Berlin Olympiastadion.
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Switzerland have won!
The final whistle is blown. Switzerland march into the quarter-finals on the back of an impressive win over Italy. It was easy for them in the end but they could only beat what was in front of them and did so with fairly ruthless efficiency. It was a dismal effort from Italy, who were surprisingly feeble. They can expect a warm reception on their return to whatever Italy airport they’re flying back to … and not in a good way.
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90+1 min: Italy advance upfield with Chiesa on the ball. I would say he is the only outfield player among them who hasn’t been hugely disappointing tonight. And now he loses the ball!
89 min: Yann Sommer, who I reckon hasn’t had to make a save in this match, gets the ball launched. It sails straight through to his opposite number.
88 min: Italy appeal for a penalty on the back of a perceived handball by Fabian Schär. It’s desperate stuff on their part and the VAR curtain-twitchers don’t get involved.
86 min: Italy substitution: Davide Frattesi on for Nicolo Fagioli, whose mistake led to Switzerland’s second goal.
83 min: It’s the Swiss who go close, with Zuber rolling the ball wide of the far post from a very tight angle at the end of another counter-attack.
82 min: An Italy goal in the next couple of minutes would really put the cat among the pigeons but the players in blue look to have given up the ghost. Alessandro Bastoni tries to drive them forward but the Swiss are defending in numbers.
80 min: Switzerland have also made more changes. Vincent Sierro and Kwadwo Duah are on for Ndoye and Embolo.
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78 min: It looks like Italy are going out with the proverbial whimper. They’ve brought on Andre Cambiasso and Lorenzo Pellegrini for Darmian and Cristante but are still plodding along at the same sedate pace.
74 min: Italy create a chance. Or do they? Scamacca nudges the ball against the post with the outside of his right boot after pouncing on a Fagioli ball in behind. I think he was offside but it doesn’t matter either way.
72 min: Swiss double-substitution: Leonidis Stergiou and Steven Zuber on for Rider and Vargas, who have both played very well and can be proud of their evening’s work.
69 min: Italy swing a cross from the right into the Swiss penalty area. Yann Sommer comes off his line to collect it with no opposition players within 10 yards of him. Sommer is probably the one player on the pitch who has done less than Scamacca, because Italy haven’t mustered a shot on target yet.
69 min: Cristante tries to play the ball over the top with a little chip in the direction of Scamacca, who might as well not be on the pitch. It’s headed clear. I suspect Signore Scamacca may not be on the pitch for much longer, literally or figuratively.
66 min: Freuler wastes a Swiss free-kick, overhitting the ball and then admonishing himself.
65 min: Xhaka has a shot from outside the area blocked but Italy are unable to clear their lines properly. Dan Ndoye tries to score with an acrobatic bicycle kick but fails to make contact with the ball.
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64 min: Italy substitution: Mateo Retegui on for Nicolo Barrella.
61 min: This is so easy for Switzerland. Chiesa scurries down the right touchline and runs into traffic. With zero options open to him, one of very few Italian players to try to create something has to settle for clanking the ball out of play off a defenders shin so he can win a throw-in.
59 min: Italy are two goals down but you wouldn’t know it to watch this game. They’re offering little in attack and showing nothing in the way of urgency. Surely it’s time for Luciano Spalletti to make some more changes and try to freshen things up a bit. Far too many of his players are doing nothing and what’s worse is that plenty of them don’t seem to care that they’re on course to exit this tournament with a whimper.
57 min: It’s worth mentioning that when Barry Davies commented on the Italian inability to learn, it was when they were knocked out of the 2002 World Cup by South Korea after trying unsuccessfully to defend a one-goal lead in the traditional Italian style. My hazy recollection is that they were robbed by the referee, but the Davies point stands.
54 min: No, it was an attempted clearance under no pressure. Fagioli had lofted a seven-iron into the Swiss penalty area and Schar seemed to leap to head the ball out for a corner, only to see it hit the post. I suspect he may have erroneously thought there was an Italian behind him ready to contest the ball.
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52 min: Of course they’re not out yet and almost pull a goal back when Fabian Schar heads the ball against his own post with what I presume was a rogue backpass.
49 min: Italy brought on Mattia Zaccagni at half-time, with Stphan EL Shaarawy making way. For Italy to give the ball away straight from the kick-off on the back what we can only assume was a half-time rocket from their manager was criminal. That famous old Barry Davies quote is comeing to mind: “And the Italians are out because they never learn.”
47 min: That is shocking from Italy. Absolutely shocking. They kicked off, the ball was rolled to Fagioli and his miskick went straight to a Swiss player. The men in red swarmed upfield, the ball found its way to Vargas and he curled a wonderful shot from the left side of the penalty area into the far corner. Donnarumma didn’t get near the ball, which crossed the line 27 seconds into the second half.
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GOAL! Switzerland 2-0 Italy (Vargas 46)
Switzerland double their lead! Ruben Vargas curls an absolute beauty into the top corner.
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Second half: Switzerland 1-0 Italy
46 min: Play resumes with Italy on the ball and their future in this competition looking bleak. They immediately give the ball away, a state of affairs that suggests things aren’t about to improve.
An email: “Hear me out as an arrogant Englishman,” writes Hugh Molloy. “I reckon only two outfield Swiss players would get in the England team, Xhaka and Akanji. However, they are an excellent team, well coached, highly motivated and with a plan. They are excellent and truly greater than the sum of their parts.”
Switzerland 1-0 Italy
Half-time: The whistle blows for the break and Switzerland go in with a one-goal lead. They’ll be happy with that but feelk they should have scored more. Donnarumma has kept a dismal Italian side in the game with two big saves. Unless they seriously up their game, the holders are going out.
44 min: Stephan El Shaarawy is booked for a foul on Fabian Schar, as the Swiss continue to run rings around their Italian opposition. They go close to scoring a second when Rieder tries to catch out Donnarumma with a clever free-kick whipped to his near post. It’s curling in but the Italian captain scampers across his line to claw the ball away.
43 min: There’s a break in play as Di Lorenzo receives treatment for an injury. I’m not sure what happened him but the game resumes with Switzerland on the ball.
40 min: Italy were pretty poor in the group stages and despite a presumption that they would improve here based on very little supporting evidence , they’ve shown very little. In fact, they’re playing really badly. England supporters take note!
38 min: Italy go behind for the fourth game in a row. It was a fine finish from Freuler, who ran on to a low Vargas cross into the penalty area. With a delightful first touch he teed himself up for a volley, before spanking the ball into the bottom left-hand corner with his second.
GOAL! Switzerland 1-0 Italy (Freuler 37)
Switzerland lead! And it’s no more than they deserve. Freuler controls a low cross with his first touch and volleys the ball into the bottom corner from eight or nine yards with his second.
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34 min: Barrella is easily knocked off the ball just outside the Swiss penalty area and then sprints upfield to foul Xhaka near the halfway line, in order to prevent a promising Swiss counter-attack. He’s booked for his troubles and can have no complaints.
33 min: Italy are really struggling to hold on to the ball and are resolutely on the back foot, defending very deeply. Now it’s Bastoni who gives it away, misplacing a pass and sending the ball out for a throw-in under very little pressure.
31 min: A case in point: Italy try to play the ball out from the back but Barrella gives it away to Aebisher right in front of his own penalty area. Italy get away with on this occasion, when Rodriguez shoots high over the bar from distance.
29 min: Italy are really struggling to get the ball past the halfway line, suffering under a well organised press from the Swiss. Occasional efforts to play the ball over the top are meat and drink to the Swiss defenders, who are dealing with them comfortably so far.
28 min: Embolo holds up the ball in the Italy penalty area before playing it right and wide to Ndoye. He advances on goal and his low shot is blocked by Bastoni.
27 min: A low Federico Chiesa shot on Switzerland’s goal is cut out by Manuel Akanji. From the corner, Freuler puts the ball out for another at the near post. Switzerland clear that one as well, with Akanji doing the honours.
24 min: Breel Embolo is played in behind the Italian defence and with only Donnarumma to beat, has his curled effort saved by the onrushing goalkeeper. The Swiss striker really telegraphed his intentions there and I suspect he may have felt he was offside. Italy’s players certainly thought he was … but replays show otherwise. That has to go down as a really bad miss by Embolo.
22 min: With Switzerland pressing and probing around the edge of the Italian penalty area, Fabian Rieder coughs up cheap possession by overhitting a pass and sending the ball trundling out for a goal;-kick. The Swiss are on top here but just lacking a little bit of cutting edge.
20 min: Showing no ill effects from his earlier injury, Barrella clips a free-kick over the Swiss wall, teeing up Di Lorenzo with a shot from a tight angle. The defender misses the ball and is flagged for offside. He had no need to be and with a better timed run and shot, could have put Italy ahead.
17 min: Switzerland break upfield in a four-on-three but Vargas picks the wrong pass. A promising move ends with Embolo curling the ball harmlessly into Donnarumma’s gloves. Ndoye was in a far better position wide on the right, in acres of space screaming for the ball. I don’t think Vargas saw him.
16 min: Chiesa slips Cristante in behind down the inside right and his cross is put out for a corner. Fagioli’s delivery is deep but Rieder and Schar clear between them.
15 min: There’s another break in play as Granit Xhaka goes down for no apparent reason. There’s something wrong with him but I’m not sure what. He quickly returns to his feet and play resumes.
12 min: Now there are two Swiss players on the deck. Vargas is one of them, having been fouled by Di Lorenzo out by the touchline. The Italian is lucky to escape a booking but already looks resigned to a tough day at the office. Aebischer’s free-kick from out wide is poor and the ball sails into the waiting gloves of Donnarumma.
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11 min: Barella soldiers on for now, moments before Vargas gets the better of Di Lorenzo down the left again. He can’t pick out a teammate on this occasion either.
9 min: Nicolo Barrella is on the ground, rolling around in pain after a fairly harmless looking coming-together with Remo Freuler. It looks like he might have pulled his hamstring. He’ll be a huge loss for Italy if he has to go off.
7 min: Michel Aebischer and Vargas exchange passes as Switzerland try to advance down the left flank. All 11 Italian players are back in their own half, lined up in a 4-5-1.
7 min: Stephan El Shaarawy gets on the ball in the Swiss penalty area but has his attempt at a cross towards Gianluca Scamacca is blocked.
6 min: Dan Ndoye is penalised for something-or-other out by the touchline near the halfway line. Italy get a free-kick and chance to enjoy some possession.
5 min: Jinking this way and that, Ruben Vargas gets the better of Giovanni Di Lorenzo down the left flank and sends in a beauty of a cross. It’s headed clear.
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4 min: Ricardo Rodriguez plays a long pass forward for Remo Freuler to chase down the left. There’s too much pace on the ball and it rolls out of play.
2 min: Nicolo Barrella fells Granit Xhaka with an accidental stray arm and the Swiss win a free-kick just inside their own half.
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1 min: Switzerland get forward immediately with Breel Embolo on the ball. His attempted cross cannons out for a throw-in and from that, the Swiss win the first corner of the match. Gianluca Mancini heads the delivery into the box clear.
Switzerland v Italy is go ...
1 min: With Swiss-born, Italian Fifa president Gianni Infantino looking on from the stands alongside his Uefa counterpart Aleksander Ceferin, Switzerland get the ball rolling.
Not long now: Referee Szymon Marciniak and his team of match officials lead the players of both sides out on to the Berlin Olympiastadion sward for the first of the Euro 2024 knockout games.
The Tour de France started in Italy today, and the gruelling first stage has ended just in the nick of time for Italian and Swiss cycling enthusiasts to switch channels and cheer on their national football team. Neither country produced the winner of today’s stage, in which French legend Romain Bardet triumphed. Anyway, let’s get back to the football …
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Fun fact: This is Italy’s first match in this city and stadium since they beat France on penalties in the 2006 World Cup final. It would be no great surprise to see this game decided by spot-kicks too.
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Round of 16: match-by-match analysis
The first knockout stage has several intriguing matches, including Spain against Georgia and France v Belgium, writes Jonathan Wilson …
Today’s match officials
Referee: Szymon Marciniak
Referee’s assistants: Tomasz Listkiewicz and Adam Kupsik
Fourth official: Facundo Tello
Video assistant referee: Facundo Tello
Penalty shootouts
Is anyone’s record worse than England’s? Can any team better Germany’s habit of success? Alex Reid looks at the numbers …
Those teams: Crikey. Luciano Spalletti makes no fewer than six changes to the team that left it late against Croatia. Gianluca Mancini comes in for the suspended Riccardo Calafiori, while there are also starts for Stephan El Shaarawy, Gianluca Scamacca, Federico Chiesa, Nicolo Fagioli, and Bryan Cristante.
There’s only one change to the Swiss side that lined up against Germany last time out. Martin Vargas is in for Silvan Widmar, who joins Calafiori on the Uefa Naughty Step.
Switzerland v Italy line-ups
Switzerland: Sommer, Akanji, Rodriguez, Schar, Freuler, Xhaka, Rieder, Aebischer, Embolo, Vargas, Ndoye.
Subs: Stergiou, Elvedi, Zakaria, Okafor, Steffen, Mvogo, Zuber, Zesiger, Sierro, Duah, Kobel, Shaqiri, Jashari, Amdouni.
Italy: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Mancini, Bastoni, Darmian; Barella, Fagioli, Cristante; Chiesa, Scamacca, El Shaarawy
Subs: Buongiorno, Gatti, Frattesi, Jorginho, Pellegrini, Raspadori, Vicario, Bellanova, Retegui, Zaccagni, Cambiaso, Folorunsho, Meret, Dimarco.
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Italy: While many Italians were relieved to squeeze past Croatia, their national team manager Luciano Spalletti still feels he has more to prove at Euro 2024. Nicky Bandini reports …
Early team news
Mainz right-back Silvan Widmar sits this one out through suspension and Swiss manager Murat Yakin is likely to call on Leonidas Stergiou, who plies his trade with Stuttgart, in his place.
Booked twice during the group stages, Liverpool target Riccardo Calafiori misses out for Italy, with Gianluca Mancini likely to step up in his absence. Left-back Federico Dimarco is out with a calf injury and could be replaced by Matteo Darmian, who featured in all three of Italy’s group games.
Round of 16: Switzerland v Italy
Berlin Olympiastadion is the venue for the first of the Round of 16 games between Switzerland and Italy, who meet for the third time since the holders swatted the Swiss aside in the group stages en route to winning the last Euros. Reporting on that match for the Guardian, Jonathan Liew said “this Italy team has been the revelation of the tournament so far” but four years on the current iteration of the Azzurri has been comparatively unimpressive. They have not, however, lost against Switzerland in any of their past 11 meetings in all competitions.
The Swiss emerged from Group A unbeaten but had to settle for second place behind Germany after Niclas Fullkrug’s late equaliser denied them victory against the Euro 2024 hosts. Having drawn twice with Italy in qualification for the last World Cup and largely impressed so far in this tournament, they will fancy their chances of notching a rare victory over Luciano Spalletti’s side today. Kick-off in Berlin is at 5pm (BST) but we’ll have plenty of team news and build-up in the meantime.
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