Euro 2024 pre-QF: Italy vs Switzerland highlights – defending champions out | Football News

Stephan El Shaaraway was the lone bright spot for the Italians. He had a great opportunity of his own in the 26th minute with a classic jinking run, but even though he did brilliantly to get the ball back onto his right foot, his shot was blocked for a corner, and strangely, he was taken off the field at halftime.

With a masterfully-worked goal in the 37th minute, the Swiss broke through and began to look far more like the defending champions than their lethargic opponents. They were tearing apart the Italians.

Vargas found space on the left as Michel Aebischer moved into the middle of the pitch. Although his pinpoint pass put Freuler’s initial touch to the test, the midfielder hammered the ball home to put his team ahead at the half.

Whatever Spalletti said at halftime proved ineffective, as his team fell behind two goals in the space of a minute. Vargas’ incredible shot curled into the top corner, leaving Italy’s lumbering, flat-footed defence for spectators.

Fabian Schaer’s deft defensive header caught his own goalkeeper Yann Sommer off guard in the 51st minute, and the ball bounced up and kissed the far post before being cleared, giving the Swiss an almost lifeline to the Italians.

The Italian players seemed helpless against the formidable Swiss defense as the clock was running out, relying on rash long shots that didn’t really threaten Sommer.

Gianluca Scammacca’s close-range effort to scuff the ball onto the near post in the 74th minute was as close as Italy would get, and their supporters were leaving the stands well before the final whistle, leaving those still seated dumbfounded by their team’s lackluster performance.

After the match, Italian coach Spalletti remarked, “That goal at the start of the second half cut our legs, we weren’t very incisive.”