9 PM in Lyon: lights out, away we go with the anthems and with the two starting eleven.
Italy (3-5-2)
Buffon (C), Chiellini, Bonucci, Barzagli, Candreva, Parolo, De Rossi, Giaccherini, Darmian, Eder, Pellé.
Belgium (4-2-3-1)
Courtois, Ciman, Alderweireld, Vermaelen, Vertonghen, Witsel, Nainggolan, De Bruyne, Fellaini, Hazard (C), Lukaku.
The match starts with a good chance for the Red Devils, a terrific shot from Roma’s Radja Nainggolan who was free to strike a powerful right-footed effort after Romelu Lukaku and Marouane Fellaini’s headers: not a problem for Gigi Buffon who parries it over his left post, but there were plenty of shouts from Antonio Conte toward Daniele De Rossi who left the Belgian number 4 alone and free to shoot.
A few minutes later the first alert for Courtois: great cross from Darmian, Pellé manages to turn himself towards the goal and shoot, not far from the post, but still 0-0.
Then, the breakthrough. In the 36th minute, Leonardo Bonucci cranks out a magical vertical lob towards Emanuele Giaccherini, who with a great stop with his left foot, and an astonishing cross kick got the better of Courtois, and it’s 1-0 to the Azzurri.
Galvanized, la Nazionale has another great opportunity with Antonio Candreva, Parolo crosses the ball to his compatriot, good control and shot with his left foot: Courtois doesn’t risk trying to catch it and hands it over the crossbar.
The consequential corner is nearly the double, a short pass from Candreva to Eder, across in the middle, Parolo anticipates both Lukaku and Fellaini with a great header, Courtois not well prepared in this situation, Pellé receives but heads it just few centimeters away from the back of the Belgian undefended net.
Giaccherinho “scores his second goal” at the end of the first half, De Bruyne is released forward off a bad pass, the Italian defense is scrambling and it seemed that the Belgians were going to get at least a shot off on Buffon’s net. Giaccherini tracks all the way back to his final third and makes a crucial block, stopping what would have been an almost certain equalizer.
Later on, an error from Matteo Darmian gives the ball back to Eden Hazard, and the real power of Belgium comes out: an incredibly fast counter-attack, Hazard-De Bruyne double up and cut through the Italian midfield, De Bruyne finds Lukaku who collects it and tries the shot from outside the area: a curving effort towards the upper 90, but misses by mere inches, again the Italians are let off the hook from a careless mistake.
Another chance for Graziano Pellé comes later, when Candreva crosses it perfectly to the Italian striker’s head, but the Red Devils’ keeper Courtois makes a miracle save and parries it just wide of the crossbar. A true effort for the highlight reel by the Chelsea man.
The second half starts, and many goal scoring opportunities come from each side, not very dangerous, however. Around the 80th minute, Ciro Immobile tries to gallop with the ball towards Chelsea goalkeeper: the Torino striker shoots a rocket on goal, but Courtois is ready to intervene. It’s very easy to see by this point that Immobile’s high pressure was going to cause problems for the already pushed up Belgian defense.
Some minutes of suffering for the Azzurri until 93rd minute: Thiago Motta passes the ball to Immobile, who goes directly at the Belgian defense moves himself to the middle, opens it up towards Candreva who then goes 1 on 1 with Courtois. He checks the situation seeing Pellé completely alone on the other side of the area, then crosses is it in and Pellé scores his first European goal with an astonishing ‘sforbiciata’, scissor kick.
Mark Clattenburg whistles the end of the match, it’s 2-0 to Italy: mission Belgium completed.
The post Belgium – Italy: Relive the key moments of the Azzurri’s win appeared first on IFD.
from IFD http://ift.tt/1S3YYdC
via IFTTT berita selengkapnya Follow @jadwalliga
