Italy became the first team to secure a spot in the knockout rounds of the 2020 European Championship as a Manuel Locatelli double saw them trail Switzerland in their Group A match at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Wednesday.
Roberto Mancini's side came into play as of November 2020 with a nine-match winning streak in all competitions without scoring a goal, and had not lost their last 28 matches since a 1–0 loss to Portugal in the UEFA Nations League. .
Italy played some beautiful football to start the first half and looked to have taken the lead just around the 20-minute mark, to see that Giorgio Chiellini's goal was waved for a handball after a VAR check.
However, it didn't take Italy long to get the ball back into the net again, as Locatelli tapped from close range after being run down the sideline after a hard-charging and a cross from Domenico Berardi left his teammate the easiest. gave. finish.
Switzerland struggled to create chances against a stingy Italian defence, who had not scored a goal on their nine-match winning streak and ended the first half with the hosts leading 1–0.
"We won the game thinking we wanted to win it at all costs," Mancini said. "It was a very difficult match. We could have scored the second goal a little earlier. We had to lose when we suffered but in the end it is a well-deserved win.
"It was the second game in five days and the boys have done a lot of work. We could have sealed it earlier but we were patient."
Locatelli scored a deserved second for Italy shortly after the break, picking up a pass at the top of the penalty area and further complicating the visitors' game by breaking a left-footed shot past Swiss keeper Yann Sommer.
"Two goals for a midfielder are not at all easy and are not awarded," Mancini said. "Manuel played a great match. His action in the first goal was fantastic."
Italy keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma didn't have much to do in the opening 60 minutes but he came up with a pair of stellar saves on close-up attempts from Switzerland just after the hour mark.
Ciro Immobile added more sparkle to the scoreline just before full-time with a full shout from outside the penalty area, which beat Sommer in his away position to give Italy their sixth goal at Euros in two games and a 3-0 win over Turkey. Won from. Friday.
"France, Portugal and Belgium are all in the euro," Mancini said. "One is the world champion, one is the European champion and the other is No. 1 in the world.
"These are teams that have been built over the years and are ahead of us in development. But anything can happen in football."
The result places Italy - unbeaten in 29 matches after a win and undefeated in competitive matches at the Stadio Olimpico - atop Group A with six points, beating fourth-placed Turkey in second place with Wales in the first day and Switzerland in third. with a score.
Italy's next match is against Wales on Sunday, while Switzerland face Turkey on the same day.