Italy 2-0 Greece
Italy qualified for Euro 2020 tonight with a hard-fought victory over Greece thanks to two second-half goals from Jorginho and Federico Bernardeschi.
That makes it a perfect seven wins from seven for Roberto Mancini as he has steered his young team to success in Group J. This Italy side has recovered the steely determination of days gone by. They had won their first six games of the campaign, and this match was predicted to be the most one-sided game of the night.
Greece arrived at the Stadio Olimpico in no form at all, having just one draw to show for their last five games. The pre-match Euro 2020 betting odds gave them little or no chance, but they put up a brave fight.
Head coach John Van’t Schip made eight changes from the side which drew at home to Lichtenstein, and his reshaped team justified his faith as they held out for more than an hour.
Italy boss Roberto Mancini has plenty of firepower in his squad and he had a nice selection dilemma.
Andrea Belotti has been on fire for both club and country, scoring a brace in Torino’s recent victory over AC Milan. But he had to settle for a place on the bench, as Mancini gave the nod to Federico Chiesa to start on the right flank, alongside Ciro Immobile and Lorenzo Insigne.
Highlights of the game
Van’t Schip had his new-look Greece set up to frustrate Italy from the off, packing their defence and allowing the hosts to keep the ball. But they had the first real chance of the game when Dimitri Limnios unleashed a fierce shot which Gianluigi Donnarumma could only punch to safety.
Italy passed the ball around at will, but when they looked to advance, the Greek players pressed quickly and closed down any space available. Despite having 80 per cent possession, Italy had just three attempts in the first half hour, none of which troubled Alexandros Paschalakis in the visitors’ goal.
Chiesa picked up an injury and was replaced by Federico Bernardeschi. The Azzurri couldn’t break down a resolute Greek defence and failed to get a shot on target before the half time break. It’s fair to say the Euro 2020 highlights for the first 45 minutes could be summed up in, well, about five seconds!
Roberto Mancini had some work to do in his half-time team talk, and it would have been good to be a fly on the wall in the Italian dressing room!
Whatever he said seemed to work. The Azzurri did look sharper in the early stages of the second period and Immobile forced Alexandros Paschalakis into his first save, pushing aside a well-directed header.
Greece were holding firm as the Italians tried to grind them down, and they had a chance on the break but Efthymios Koulouris hit the side netting when he should have tested the keeper.
And on 64 minutes, the Azzurri made the breakthrough. Andreas Bouchalakis stopped Lorenzo Insigne’s shot with his arm and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Jorginho was coolness personified as he sent the keeper the wrong way.
Italy pressed for a second and Insigne took aim from distance, he hit the ball sweetly but it flew wide. While the score remained 1-0 Greece were still in it, and Tasos Bakasetas had a great chance to equalise but fluffed his shot.
Italian nerves were settled, though, when Bernardeschi hit a low, fizzing shot beyond the reach of Paschalakis and into the bottom left corner.
As the clock ticked down, the Greek keeper made a brave save from Insigne, sticking out this left foot to keep the score down to two. But while Greece had put up a courageous performance, the night was Italy’s.
Key statistics
These two teams had only met twice, playing out one draw, and earlier this year Italy beat Greece by 0-3 in Athens, when Insigne was among the scorers.
Italy dominated this game with 71 per cent possession and 20 shots on goal, and ran out worthy winners.
Greece are now without a win in six, while the Azzurri have won eight on the trot — four at home — and are unbeaten in their last 19 matches in Italy.
What’s next?
The Azzurri’s dominance of Group J from the outset has been impressive. It isn’t the strongest of groups but you can only beat what is in front of you, and Italy have done it every single time.
There are more matches to come next week so keep it here to check the latest SBOBET odds for the games ahead.
Italy head to Lichtenstein next, and surely that will be another win for Mancini’s men. Meanwhile, Greece plays Bosnia and Herzegovina at home, and they can go into that game with renewed confidence.
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