It did not take Italy this Sunday to beat Wales to be as brilliant as against Switzerland or Turkey. Roberto Mancini made rotations and only 3 of the starting players against Switzerland started against the team led by Robert Page: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Leonardo Bonucci and Jorginho. But a goal from Matteo Pessina was enough for the 'azzurri' to achieve their full of triumphs in the first phase of the European Championship (0-3 against Turkey, 3-0 against Switzerland, 1-0 against Wales) and finish first in the group A. For Wales it was the sweetest defeat, as they reached the round of 16 as second thanks to goal difference. Switzerland, tied with Wales at 4 points after defeating Turkey 3-1, depends on being one of the four best third third.
Among so many novelties, the main one in the Italian team was the reappearance of Marco Verratti, who returned to play, and also as a starter, 6 weeks after the knee injury he suffered with his team, Paris Saint-Germain. The midfielder took the helm of Italy, almost all the balls passed through Verratti in the middle, the most dangerous passes to the forwards came from his boots. The protagonist of a great match was also Federico Chiesa, who formed Mancini's offensive trident together with Andrea Belotti and Federico Bernardeschi.
Bale and Ramsey had a hard time
Wales played withdrawn in the first half, Gareth Bale appeared little, he had a hard time with the pressure of the ‘azzurri’, as did his teammate Aaron Ramsey. However, the goal was resisted by Italy, who finally advanced in 39 ', when the omnipresent Verratti served a lateral free kick and Pessina beat Danny Ward with the right touch. The same protagonists almost 'manufactured' the second in minute 42 ': a pass from Verratti to Pessina, but this time Atalanta's midfield shot was not accurate.
Already in the second half, Wales was left with ten in the 55th minute, when Ethan Ampadu saw a red card for his tackle on Bernardeschi, who shortly before had crashed a ball into the post. In any case, Italy could not take advantage of its numerical superiority, because the second goal did not arrive.
And it is that Ward, Wales goalkeeper, grew in the face of difficulties and made good saves, as in 65 ', after a shot by Belotti. Bale missed the best chance of his team, sending the ball deflected with a left foot to the home-mark flight in the 75th minute. Page, his coach, replaced him with 4 minutes to go. Italy B did not have as much aim as the one that played against Turkey or Switzerland. But it still showed its power.
Equalized Pozzo's Italy record
Italy will travel to London to play at Wembley the round of 16 against the second of group C. With this 1-0 the 'azzurra' team equaled their own record of matches without losing, by reaching 30, the mark of the team they led Vittorio Pozzo in the 30s of the last century.
Italy, 1: Donnarumma (Sirigu, 89 '); Toloi, Bonucci (Acerbi, 46 '), Bastoni, Emerson; Pessina (Castrovilli, 87 '), Jorginho (Cristante, 75'), Verratti – Chiesa, Belotti, Bernardeschi (Raspadori, 75 ')
Wales 0: Ward; Rodon, Ampadu, Gunter-C. Roberts, Morrell (Moore, 60 '), Allen (Levitt, 86'), Williams (Davies, 86 '); Ramsey; Bale (Brooks, 86 ') and James (Wilson, 74')
Goal: 1-0, Pessina (39 ')
Referee: Ovidiu Hategan (Romania). Red card: Ampadu (55 '). Yellows: Allen (51 '), Pessina (79'), Gunter (79 ')
Spectators: 15,000 at the Olympic in Rome