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Italy battled tooth and nail against Spain in the UEFA Euro 2020 semi-final for a spot in the grand showdown on Sunday evening. Eventually it was Italy who prevailed after penalties, with the match having ended level at a goal each after extra-time. As expected, Spain dominated possession for much of the game, but the Italians were efficient with whatever little of the ball they saw.
All in all, it was an enthralling encounter on display at the Wembley Stadium, and one could tell that the stakes were extremely high. This was a match that could have swung the other way very easily on another day, which says everything one needs to know about the competitiveness of the bout. Here are five talking points from the first of two UEFA Euro 2020 semi-finals.
#5 Morata goes from hero to zero for Spain
It came as a significant surprise when Luis Enrique named his starting line-up for the semi-final, and Alvaro Morata's name was not to be found. Morata has been Spain's go-to player upfront for the entirety of the tournament. As a result, many were taken aback when Enrique decided to demote his first-choice striker to the bench. Needless to say, Morata responded to this in the best manner possible.
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With his team reeling having gone a goal behind and minutes away from a heartbreaking exit, Alvaro Morata came on with added incentive to bag another goal for himself. Immediately, he provided Spain with a focal point they had been missing all evening.
Ultimately, with 10 minutes of football remaining, Morata collected the ball from Aymeric Laporte before playing a neat one-two with Dani Olmo which resulted in the equalizer. Sadly, his effort in the penalty shootout was nowhere near as good, and ended up costing his team the match.
#4 Dani Olmo repays manager's faith
Having impressed off the bench in Spain's last outing, Dani Olmo was handed a start in tonight's match, and he made the most of his opportunity. He was arguably Spain's best player on this occasion.
He was a constant menace up top, interchanging positions and giving the Italian defenders plenty to worry about. His touch to beat the first defender was often crucial in the creation of most of Spain's good moments.
Unfortunately, he failed to keep his cool from the penalty spot in the shootout. Olmo's overall performance today, however, should not be forgotten as a consequence of the same. Luis Enrique took a big call in promoting him to the starting line-up, and it's one that should be seen as the correct decision.
#3 Jorginho embellishes his tag as a penalty specialist with another clutch goal
There are few players in football history whose penalty-taking ability is notably spectacular. From Matt Le Tissier to Mario Balotelli, they have all made the act of taking and converting a penalty look far easier than it is.
Jorginho has all but cemented his place on that elusive list by scoring from the spot for Italy in the Euro 2020 semi-final against Spain. The Chelsea midfielder slotted home with sublime grace in a moment where the pressure alone can cause most to horribly fluff their lines.
Not only did he apply the finishing touches with great precision, Jorginho had a fairly solid game all evening as well. He made two tackles and completed 79% of his passes against Spain in the heart of the Italian midfield.
#2 Spain's incompetence from the spot returns to haunt them
It is a well documented fact that Spain have struggled to score from the penalty spot for a long time now. Their recent record is quite concerning, and one could tell from the quality of the Spanish penalties against Italy that they weren't filled with a great deal of confidence.
However, they received a major boost in that department in the form of a penalty shootout win in their last match against Switzerland. The victory meant the Spaniards had reason to be confident.
Unfortunately, it wasn't to be, as the moment got the better of the Spain forwards. Alvaro Morata and Dani Olmo's penalties were taken really poorly and with no conviction whatsoever. Ironically, it was the same pair that created Spain's only goal in the game.
This proves that the issues are are more psychologically rooted. Something must be done at the earliest to rid Spain of this roadblock to great achievements.
#1 Roberto Mancini has rewritten his managerial legacy with this iconic finals run
Roberto Mancini was regarded as one of the best managers in Europe a decade or so back. He had just won Manchester City their first ever Premier League title in unforgettable style, thanks to the "Agueroooooo" moment. However, since his exit from the English club, Mancini hasn't had the best of times in club football. He has struggled to live up to expectations at Galatasaray, Inter Milan and most recently, Zenit St. Petersburg.
However, with this incredible run to the final with, Mancini has catapulted himself back among the elite managers in Europe. Italy are now unbeaten in a staggering 33 matches. Tonight's match against Spain also displayed another dimension to their game. Th was far from Italy's best performance, but Mancini still managed his team to victory in a tightly fought battle.
Most importantly, Italy have made themselves a difficult team to beat even when they aren't in fine form. This is a quality few teams possess and Mancini deserves credit for the same.
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