The recovery has begun. Mancini’s Azzurri will have to take the field more convinced than the first 20 minutes of the game, when they left the field and the ball to the Swiss and went under. Di Lorenzo rebalanced the result, but for the Azzurri it’s a 45 ‘battle. The first action towards the opponent’s goal is again by the Swiss, but Donnarumma controls the exit. The minutes pass, Mancini calls Berardi to him to enter the field. But Switzerland is still lively in front, with a shot by Zakaria that does not get to worry Donnarumma but remains a blast that alerts the Azzurri defense. At 13 ‘the first changes of Mancini arrive: Berardi, as expected, in place of Belotti with Chiesa diverted to the role of false nine. And, surprisingly, Tonali who takes Locatelli’s place in the middle of the pitch: the Milan midfielder is back on the pitch with the senior national team one year after the last friendly. And he is the only player on the pitch who has not won the European Championship in the summer. The class of 2000 is immediately the protagonist, with Berardi, of the blue shock in the 15 ‘: a plot from left to right that leads to a corner where, on the parable of the usual Insigne, the AC Milan player does not find the winning gore by a whisker.
The emotions of Italy-Switzerland minute by minute
The first half
The first half between Italy and Switzerland ends 1-1. The start is complicated for the Azzurri and this is demonstrated by the first shot of the match which arrives after 52 seconds and is from Switzerland, after the ball lost by Bonucci on the way out. Very high conclusion of Shaqiri who cannot worry Donnarumma. The Azzurri respond with an initiative by the Church that breaks down on the opponent’s defensive wall. But it is Switzerland that has started the challenge better, as shown by what happens a few seconds later. At minute 11 comes the blue blackout that leads to the goal of Switzerland: counterattack on the left of Okafor, the striker serves Widmer in tow and explodes the right from outside the area: Donnarumma only touches and the ball is packed. Switzerland 1 Italy 0. They are 180 seconds from a nightmare, with Okafor again who at 14 ‘sows panic on the center-left and Vargas almost does not need another golden opportunity, this time for the doubling but the Azzurri defense save to last. At 17 ‘the first blue jolt towards the goal defended by Sommer: Mancini’s team does not reach the shot on goal, but dances in and out of the area with a network of passes led by Insigne. The Swiss close and make a wall, then sweeping Belotti’s weak cross away from their own goal at the end of the action. Switzerland, however, remains insidious and immediately reverses the action with Shaqiri who does not find the mirror of the goal from an inviting position. The defensive hinge on the center-right composed of Di Lorenzo and Bonucci is not opposing the Swiss attacks as it should. And so far Italy has risked collapse.
At 21 ‘Only the miracle of Sommer says no to the blue tie. Emerson reaches the bottom riding the left wing after dribbling a couple of opponents. His cross in tow for Jorginho is a photocopy of Switzerland’s goal, but the Italian-Brazilian’s shot is dampened by Akanji. The rebound favors Barella who from one meter finds a great response from Sommer: only corner. But Italy has awakened and now the blue ball possession floats on the opponent’s trocar, with another chance at Chiesa’s feet: his shot is deflected by the Swiss defenders and Sommer blocks. The Azzurri played the charge in the heart of the first half, after giving away the first 20 minutes. A competitive trance that does not last long, because the Swiss take the field again and in the 32nd minute they are again close to scoring with a header from Schar that Donnarumma blocks only in two halves.
But the goal that made the Azzurri breathe arrived in the first half final. Punishment on the trocar of Switzerland in the 36th minute, Insigne takes charge of the serve and brushes a perfect cross towards the penalty area: the trajectory ends precisely on the head of Di Lorenzo who anticipates Sommer in high output. He also gets the gloves on his head, but it doesn’t matter: the ball ended up in the goal and Italy explodes with joy along with everyone present at the Olimpico. Immediately after moments of tension for a long check from the Var, but the goal is confirmed. Italy gets up in time before ending up enslaved by its own tension, between the ghosts of 2018 and the safety of the 2020 European Championship that had faded in the first minutes. The first 45 ‘ends like this, without other great jolts. We need another Italy in the second half, especially one that forgets the initial blackout. But the three points are still there, one goal away.
The official formations
The official formations of Italy-Switzerland have been announced, a match valid for group C of qualifying for the Qatar 2022 World Cup, starting at 8.45 pm at the Olympic stadium in Rome. Roberto Mancini focuses on Belotti as center forward, flanked by Chiesa and Insigne. Acerbi supports Bonucci in the center of defense, in midfield Barella and Locatelli with Jorginho. Murat Yakin recovers Gavranovic, who however starts from the bench. In attack there is Okafor assisted by Shaqiri. Zakaria with Freuler in midfield, Vargas and Steffen outside. These are the 11 initials:
Italy (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bonucci, Acerbi, Emerson Palmieri; Barella, Jorginho, Locatelli; Church, Belotti, Insigne. Coach: Mancini.
Switzerland (4-4-2): Sommer; Widmer, Akanji, Schar, Rodriguez; Vargas, Zakaria, Freuler, Steffen; Shaqiri, Okafor. Coach: Yakin.
The situation of Italy in the group
Today Switzerland, then Northern Ireland. Both matches are decisive, but Mancini’s Italy wants to put more than one foot in Qatar starting from tonight’s challenge, which is already partly decisive. By winning, the Azzurri would take the lead in the standings by 3 points, they would improve the goal difference (main criterion in case of arrival on equal points, now ahead at +11 against +9). So even a draw in the last match against Northern Ireland would be enough. In the event of victory for Murat Yakin’s team, however, the plans would become quite complicated, given that the Azzurri should certainly win the last game hoping for a simultaneous success for Bulgaria against Switzerland. A draw would postpone everything to the final matchday, where the count of goals against Northern Ireland would become decisive. Calculations and thoughts from which the Azzurri want to stay away as much as possible. The team that won the European Championship 4 months ago must win the World Cup lightly: tonight’s 90 ‘is the first, fundamental step in order not to postpone the appointment with the most important competition.
The big screen and the choirs: the memory of Galeazzi during Italy-Switzerland
“Come on Adriano.” Thus a small group of Italian fans headed to the Olympic stadium to follow the Italy-Switzerland match, recalled Giampiero Galeazzi while crossing Via delle Olimpiadi and the fields of the old tennis center of the Foro Italico, imitating his voice and his commentary which they saw as protagonist in Adriano Panatta field. Not only that: the blue commentator, who died today at the age of 75, will be remembered tonight at the Olimpico before the match valid for qualifying for the Qatar 2022 World Cup with a photo on the big screen and an announcement.
At the Vip stadium and blue legends
The Olympic Stadium in Rome was colored blue, which today returns to embrace the national team five months after hosting the three matches of the Euro 2020 group. For the match against Switzerland, 52,000 fans are present in the stands, in a stadium which is sold out (capacity is 75%) also thanks to the popular prices implemented by the FIGC and the various promotions reserved for families, women and minors. Some of the most important exponents of the Italian political and sports world are present in the authorities’ gallery, with the president of the FIGC Gabriele Gravina, from the president of the Senate Maria Elisabetta Casellati to the undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council with responsibility for Sport Valentina Vezzali, from the new mayor of Rome Roberto Gualtieri to the presidents of Coni and of Sport and Health Giovanni Malagò and Vito Cozzoli.
There are also many past and present Azzurri cheering for the national team. Not being able to take the field due to the injuries accused in recent days, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Giorgio Chiellini and Ciro Immobile will not fail to support their teammates in a decisive match for qualification for the Qatar 2022 World Cup. After the successful experiences in Rome and Milan on the occasion of Euro 2020 and the Nations League final phase, tomorrow “Casa Azzurri” also returns to the Olympic Stadium, ready to welcome the guests and partners of the FIGC. On stage a large group of “Azzurri Legends”, the National team of Blue Legends. Among them also the captain of Italy World Champion in 2006, Fabio Cannavaro, together with 4 other protagonists of the German World Cup: Daniele De Rossi, former technical assistant of Roberto Mancini at Euro 2020, Simone Perrotta, Angelo Peruzzi and Cristian Zaccardo. Together with two other Mundial ’82 champions, Giuseppe Dossena and Francesco Graziani, there are also the former coaches of the Under 21 national team Pierluigi Casiraghi and Luigi Di Biagio, the current Under 17 coach Bernardo Corradi, Angelo Di Livio, Stefano Fiore. , Giuliano Giannichedda, Fabrizio Ravanelli and Moreno Torricelli.
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