Italy vs England | Euro 2020 Post Match Review

A Devastating Loss for the Three Lions

After taking an early lead, the odds for England to win the Euros skyrocketed as Gareth Southgate’s men were in complete control. That changed after the break when Roberto Mancini reshuffled his pack, giving the Azzurri extra control in the middle of the park. Putting the Three Lions under pressure, the equaliser inevitably came in the 67th minute, before the match was finally decided by a penalty shootout. For England fans, it was a familiar end to an otherwise impressive tournament.

Italy vs England Euro 2020 - As it Happened

Our Italy vs England Euro 2020 post match review begins with a fairytale start for England. Thanks to the fastest goal in European Championships history - Luke Shaw stealing in at the back post with an assured finish - the England team was able to cause numerous problems for the Italian backline. Harry Kane constantly dropped deep, forcing Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci to follow him and leave plenty of space behind for Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling to exploit.

Although the Three Lions didn’t create too many guilt-edged opportunities in the first half, they were in control, Shaw and Kieran Trippier with the freedom of Wembley Stadium on either flank. When the whistle blew at halftime, the Euro 2020 betting odds for England to finally end 55 years of hurt were trending in the right direction.

Italy vs England Euro 2020 Post Match - Mancini Outmanoeuvres Southgate

Roberto Mancini is a proven winner at club level and brings the same skill and experience to the international stage. Three years ago, Italy hit rock bottom by failing to qualify for the World Cup. Under Mancini’s stewardship, they are now European champions for the first time since 1968. So, it’s no surprise that the former Man City boss pulled the trigger ten minutes into the second half by bringing on Cristante and Berardi.

The two subs changed the complexion of the game as Italy began to dominate midfield through Veratti and Jorginho, getting the ball into the feet of Federico Chiesa at every opportunity. The warning bells were ringing after Jordan Pickford was forced into a smart save low down to his left from Chiesa. The pressure culminated in a chaotic corner, with Bonucci being Johnny on the spot and the first to poke the rebound into the back of the net.

From there, England’s defence and midfield dropped deeper into their box and encouraged Italy to continue pressing. Overall, England only managed two shots on target and ended normal and extra time with 34% of possession, mainly due to a lack of energy.

England Blink First in Pressure-Cooker Environment

It was almost poetic that a team famed for its poor penalty shootout record would have to hold their nerve to win the nation’s second major trophy. Things started well after Pickford saved Italy’s second effort and Maguire followed up to give England the lead. However, it went south after Marcus Rashford, brought on specifically for penalties, hit the post after sending Donnarumma the wrong way.

Jadon Sancho, brought on for the same reason as Rashford, also failed to net, leaving Jorginho with the task of winning Euro 2020. Somehow, Pickford pushed his shot onto the post, leaving Saka the task of levelling the shootout 3-3. Unfortunately for the teenager, who was magnificent throughout the competition, he couldn’t beat the giant Donnarumma and bring football home. Instead, Bonucci pointed out that football was going to Rome.

Italy & England Look to World Cup Qualifying Next

After a seriously long season, the two squads will no doubt be desperate for an extended break before the country’s respective leagues kick off in earnest. Internationally, the sides will resume competitive action when World Cup Qualifying comes back around in early September. For Italy, their players will be riding a crest of a wave and will hope to add to their 34-match unbeaten run by qualifying for the finals in Qatar.

England, meanwhile, will need to regroup if Southgate wants to bounce back and go one step further in 2024. That concludes the latest Euro 2020 news and updates from Betting.co.uk. We hope you’ve enjoyed the competition as much as we have!