Goals from Emanuele Giaccherini and Graziano Pelle combined with excellent defending helped Italy to a 2-0 win over Belgium in their first match at the European Championship on Monday.
Described as one of the worst Squadra Azzurra ever by Italian media, Antonio Conte’s aging team defied the odds to take the lead in Group E with an impressive collective display at Lyon’s Grand Stade.
Ireland opened its campaign with a 1-1 draw against Sweden in the group’s other game.
“Our players understood that they needed to do extraordinary things to make sure they are talked about,” Italy coach Antonio Conte said after beating one of the tournament’s favourites.
“The players in my group are clever, they understood that we have achieved something important with that win. But they also know we need to give more than 100 per cent to continue in this tournament.”
Fielding a team with top Premier League players including Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, Belgium dominated the early stages but was made to pay for the errors of a makeshift defence and a lack of finishing up front.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who kept Belgium in the match until the very end with a series of good saves, said Italy “outclassed us tactically.”
Giaccherini scored the opener with his first goal for Italy since 2013 from a spectacular long ball by Leonardo Bonucci. Pelle made it 2-0 in added time with a well-struck volley after a counterattack.
The early stages had none of that sparkle, with Belgium enjoying most of the possession but struggling to get past Italy’s experienced three-man backline of Juventus defenders Giorgio Chiellini, Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli.
With the caps they earned on Monday, the three now have a total of 200 appearances for Italy.
“Our defence was fantastic and I think we have the best defence at the Euros,” Giaccherini said. “We all had to help each other and to try, when we had the ball, to hurt them.”
A fine move led to Belgium’s first shot on goal after 10 minutes. Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan forced keeper Gianluigi Buffon to make a good save with a dipping shot from outside the box after Lukaku and Marouane Fellaini had combined well to knock the ball into his path.
But the move was the only major threat from Marc Wilmots’ players, who moved the ball around well, but lacked width and any real bite in the final third.
When Italy tried to push forward, the Azzurri gave the ball away too easily when trying to find Pelle.
The 2006 world champions finally broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute when Bonucci found Giaccherini inside the Belgium area with a lofted 40-meter ball over the defence. Giaccherini controlled it with a fine touch and curled his shot past Courtois.
Italy soon looked to build some momentum, with Antonio Candreva forcing Courtois into a save and Pelle wasting a golden chance immediately afterward, missing the target with a header while alone in front of goal.
Missing injured captain Vincent Kompany and regular starter Nicolas Lombaerts, the Belgium defence continued to show signs of weakness. Jan Verthongen shouted at his teammates after another Italy foray down the right side.
Up front, Lukaku looked uncomfortable throughout the game and missed a clear cut chance after De Bruyne picked him out with a fine pass. At the other end, Courtois produced a reflex save to deny Pelle’s header from close range in the 57th minute.
Lukaku was whistled off the pitch when replaced by Divock Origi in the 73rd minute. However, the Liverpool player failed at the crucial moment, heading the ball over from De Bruyne’s free kick with eight minutes left.
The match ended with a frantic finish, with Pelle volleying home in stoppage time from Candreva’s cross.
Italy:
Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Candreva, Parolo, De Rossi, Giaccherini, Darmian, Eder, Pellè
Belgium:
Courtois, Ciman, Alderweireld, Vermaelen, Vertonghen, Witsel, Nainggolan, Fellaini, De Bruyne, Hazard, R. Lukaku
