After 120 minutes of football and 17 penalties in the shoot-out, Germany’s pulsating last-eight tie with Italy was decided by the finest of margins.
Gianluigi Buffon once again guessed correctly, diving to his left and getting close to Jonas Hector’s spot-kick – the 18th of the night after extra time could not separate the two sides – but the ball squirmed under his body and into the back of the net. Germany were through, Italy were out and Buffon was in tears.
It feels strange to reflect on an Italian outfit exiting a major tournament at the quarter-final stage with positivity. The nation that has won four World Cups and a European Championship is used to progressing to the latter rounds of international competitions, and falling short at this stage has often been met with criticism and condemnation from supporters and the media back home.
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Things are different this time. Before the big kick-off last month, Antonio Conte’s 23-man selection was widely labelled the worst squad Italy had taken to a tournament in half a century, with many raising concerns that they might even struggle to finish in the top two in Group E. Expectations were low and embarrassment was seen as a genuine possibility.
The fans need not have worried. While Italy may have lacked star names on the pitch, the man guiding them on the touchline is among the best in the world. Conte created a national team that played like a club side, with every player fully aware of his role, his responsibilities and the overriding game plan.
A terrific 2-0 victory over much-fancied Belgium in their opening encounter set the tone perfectly. Italy were calm and patient, content to allow their opponents possession before springing forward on the counter-attack to exploit the gaps that were left behind.
They pressed high at times, hounding and harrying the man with the ball, but were equally happy to sit deeper and defend in their own box. In many ways, Italy were the polar opposite of Belgium: clinical, coherent, well drilled and clear in what they were doing.
A 1-0 win over Sweden and 1-0 defeat by the Republic of Ireland followed – Conte rested a number of key men in the latter game given that Italy had already secured top spot in the group – before a testing tie with Spain in the round of 16. The Italians had performed admirably up to that point, but many opined that the holders’ extra quality would see them through.
Once again, though, Italy upset the odds as Spain were blown away by their energy, commitment and quality. Conte masterminded the victory, outwitting Vicente del Bosque with a tactical approach that was perfect in both its conception and execution.
And so it was Germany who awaited in the quarter-finals, the country that had failed to beat Italy at a tournament in eight previous attempts. That run was technically extended following a 1-1 draw in Bordeaux, but after a chaotic penalty shoot-out it is the world champions who progress to take on either France or Iceland in the last four on Thursday.
It was probably a fair outcome based on the match in its entirety, with Germany taking control in the second half after struggling to create chances in the first. Italy were typically stubborn and dogged throughout, however, and deserve immense credit given the contrasting level of individual talent within the two teams’ ranks.
Conte sounded a little regretful to be leaving the job in his post-match press conference, with Chelsea and the Premier League set to benefit from his presence in the 2016/17 campaign.
He leaves behind the rarest of things: an Italian team that overachieved by reaching the quarter-finals of a major tournament and can be satisfied with their efforts throughout the competition. If Conte’s successor, Giampiero Ventura, is able to retain the qualities left behind and build on the strong foundations laid down, Italy will come again at the World Cup in Russia in two years’ time.
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