DPA
Berlin
Defending champions Italy were knocked out of Euro 2024 after being completely toothless in a 2-0 defeat against Switzerland in Saturday’s last 16 in Berlin.
The Azzurri were unbeaten against Switzerland in over 31 years, but were far from maintaining their record at the Olympic stadium in Berlin.
The Swiss team broke the deadlock through Remo Freuler in the 37th minute, before they doubled their lead in the first minute of the second half in style thanks to Man of the Match Ruben Vargas.
This is only the second time in European Championship history that Switzerland have reached the quarter-finals, equalling their best result so far from Euro 2020. They will now face England or Slovakia on Saturday.
Switzerland started the game pressing high, while Italy had trouble to leave their defensive half of the pitch.
The first chance of the match came in the 14th, when Michel Aebischer fired in a free-kick, but goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma safely held the ball.
Italy had a good moment in the 19th as Nicolo Barella pinged the ball into the Swiss box from a free-kick. Giovanni Di Lorenzo got away from the defence, but failed to reach the ball. He was flagged for offside anyway.
Breel Embolo also broke free from the defence in the 24th to find himself one-on-one with Donnarumma. He looked certain to score, but the keeper made a stunning save to deny Switzerland their opener.
Two minutes later, Italy counter-attacked and Federico Chiesa had his low shot blocked by Manuel Akanji.
Switzerland eventually took a deserved lead in the 37th, when Vargas’ pass found an unmarked Freuler, who controlled the ball with his first touch before firing a super strike past Donnarumma. Freuler plays in Italy for Bologna.
The Swiss team got close to a second goal, but Donnarumma again made a superb save, this time to deny Fabian Rieder’s free-kick shortly before the break.
It didn’t take them long, however, to double their lead. From Italy’s kick-off after half-time, Switzerland won possession before Aebischer fed Vargas, who lashed in a stunning, clinical strike from the edge of the box.
Italy stepped up in their press, and Gianluca Scamacca hit the post in the 74th from point-blank range, but their harmless attack failed to threaten more than that.
Their reign as European champions lasted just three years as they limped out in sorry style at the stadium where they lifted the 2006 World Cup.
