Eder Brilliant Goal Make Ibra Heartbreak
Jum'at, 17 Juni 2016 - 22:22 WIB
Eder Brilliant Goal Make Ibra Heartbreak
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TOULOUSE - This is a Italian typical... always make the heartbeat of his supporters remain hot until late in the match. And that proved by Eder with another late goal and send Italy through to the knockout stages after only two games and confirm Antonio Conte's teams as one of the favourites to win Euro 2016.
It was heartbreak for Sweden, whose future is hanging by a thread with only one point from two games, and Zlatan Ibrahmovic missed a chance to become the first man to score in four successive tournaments.
READ MORE: Azzuri Battle With Sweden and Ibrakadabra
The big Sweden missed with a couple of headers and then put the ball over from a yard out, although he was offside on that occasion.
But it was Eder, the Sampdoria striker who had received so much criticism, who got the one that counted when he cut on from the left with three minutes to go and curled a shot past goalkeeper Andres Isaaksson, who had been untroubled up to that point.
After a quiet first half, Italy pushed forward as Alessandro Florenzi and Antonio Candreva had more joy down the flanks. Simone Zaza and Thiago Motta were also sent on and although Sweden never let the Azzurri control matters as the 2012 runners-up had done in beating Belgium, Marco Parolo hit the crossbar with a late header and then Éder cut in from the left, beating several defenders, before his decisive finish.
It means Italy can relax when they play Ireland next week, although they will want to top the group.
The game in Toulouse started in a blaze of colour – mostly the yellow of Sweden – and with plenty of attacking verve before it turned into a war of attrition.
Italy's widemen were sent to attack Sweden's full-backs and get the ball in the box for Graziano Pelle to use his size in attack. Allesandro Florenzini worked down the left to good effect in the early stages, while Antonio Candreva did a similar job on the opposite flank.
Florenzini had an early shooting chance, but he was closed down so quickly that keeper Andreas Isaakson had no trouble holding his weak effort. That was to prove the only effort on target in a tepid first-half.
Sweden tried similar tactics to open up Italy's three-man backline for Ibrahimovic and his new partner John Guidetti, the former Manchester City forward.
Norwich's Martin Olsson motored forward from left-back and fired in a few crosses, and Kim Kallstrom probed from central midfield, but Ibrahimovic was kept out of the danger areas.
Ibrahimovic's patience outside the penalty area set up a chance for Emil Forsberg that went over the bar and then Seb Larsson chested down for Guidetti only to see his team-mate hit the ball high and wide. Ibrahimovic had a couple of headers off target, and Kallstrom had a lob forward saved ,by Gianlugi Buffon, who had little to do.
It was heartbreak for Sweden, whose future is hanging by a thread with only one point from two games, and Zlatan Ibrahmovic missed a chance to become the first man to score in four successive tournaments.
READ MORE: Azzuri Battle With Sweden and Ibrakadabra
The big Sweden missed with a couple of headers and then put the ball over from a yard out, although he was offside on that occasion.
But it was Eder, the Sampdoria striker who had received so much criticism, who got the one that counted when he cut on from the left with three minutes to go and curled a shot past goalkeeper Andres Isaaksson, who had been untroubled up to that point.
After a quiet first half, Italy pushed forward as Alessandro Florenzi and Antonio Candreva had more joy down the flanks. Simone Zaza and Thiago Motta were also sent on and although Sweden never let the Azzurri control matters as the 2012 runners-up had done in beating Belgium, Marco Parolo hit the crossbar with a late header and then Éder cut in from the left, beating several defenders, before his decisive finish.
It means Italy can relax when they play Ireland next week, although they will want to top the group.
The game in Toulouse started in a blaze of colour – mostly the yellow of Sweden – and with plenty of attacking verve before it turned into a war of attrition.
Italy's widemen were sent to attack Sweden's full-backs and get the ball in the box for Graziano Pelle to use his size in attack. Allesandro Florenzini worked down the left to good effect in the early stages, while Antonio Candreva did a similar job on the opposite flank.
Florenzini had an early shooting chance, but he was closed down so quickly that keeper Andreas Isaakson had no trouble holding his weak effort. That was to prove the only effort on target in a tepid first-half.
Sweden tried similar tactics to open up Italy's three-man backline for Ibrahimovic and his new partner John Guidetti, the former Manchester City forward.
Norwich's Martin Olsson motored forward from left-back and fired in a few crosses, and Kim Kallstrom probed from central midfield, but Ibrahimovic was kept out of the danger areas.
Ibrahimovic's patience outside the penalty area set up a chance for Emil Forsberg that went over the bar and then Seb Larsson chested down for Guidetti only to see his team-mate hit the ball high and wide. Ibrahimovic had a couple of headers off target, and Kallstrom had a lob forward saved ,by Gianlugi Buffon, who had little to do.
(rnz)
