Locatelli double powers Italy to Knockout stage
Manuel Locatelli scored a brace and Ciro Immobile added a late third as Italy sealed their place in the Euro 2020 last 16 today with a game to spare in Rome.
Domineering Italy thrashed the Switzerland 3-0 to extend their unbeaten run, securing an early round of 16 spot at the Euros.
Manuel Locatelli scored a brace and Ciro Immobile added a late third as Italy sealed their place in the Euro 2020 last 16 today with a game to spare in Rome.
Giorgio Chiellini thought he had hit the opener after 19 minutes but after a VAR check, the referee disallowed the goal for handball.
Sassuolo midfielder Locatelli put the Azzurri ahead on 26 minutes in the Group A clash, adding a second just after the break with Immobile scoring for the second consecutive game a minute from time.The Azurris exhibited their supremacy in a game that many thought the Swiss would have proved resilient.
Switzerland had few chances with Liverpool’s Xherdan Shaqiri blasting over after an hour.
Immobile missed several chances to add to his tally, sending a header over the bar early from a Leonardo Spinazzola cross.
Italy now tops the Group A table with six points from two games and into the Round of 16.
Roberto Mancini’s Italy continue their 29-game unbeaten run,10 straight clean sheets,31 goals without reply and becomes the first team to make it into the knock out phase.
Line-ups
Italy: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bonucci, Chiellini (Acerbi 24), Spinazzola; Barella (Cristante 87), Jorginho, Locatelli (Pessina 86); Berardi (Tolói 70), Immobile, Insigne (Chiesa 69)
Switzerland: Sommer; Elvedi, Schär (Zuber 58), Akanji; Mbabu (Widmer 58), Xhaka, Freuler (Sow 84), Rodríguez; Shaqiri (Vargas 76); Embolo, Seferović (Gavranović 46)
Acknowledgement : Betway Ghana ( Headline Sponsor)
Mark F. | SilverFM
