A goal in either
half from Giorgio Chiellini and Graziano Pelle saw Italy exact revenge for their
Euro 2012 final thumping by dumping Spain out of Euro 2016 with a
masterful 2-0 last 16 win in Paris on Monday.
Juventus
defender Chiellini bundled home the winner from close range after goalkeeper
David de Gea had parried Eder’s low free-kick, and Pelle volleyed in a
deflected cross in the dying moments to see off the double European champions.
The Azzurri were
by far the better side in the opening half and could have been more than one
goal up at the break but for the heroics of De Gea, who kept out Pelle’s bullet
header before turning Emanuele Giaccherini’s acrobatic effort onto the post.
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Chiellini fires Italy into the lead in Paris
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However, Antonio
Conte’s side made the breakthrough 12 minutes before halftime when Barcelona
defender Gerard Pique fouled Pelle on the edge of the area.
Eder’s powerful
shot was parried back in by De Gea, with Giaccherini nudging the ball into
Chiellini’s path to bundle home.
Only a De Gea
wonder-save to tip over a fiercely dipping drive from Giaccherini kept Spain in
the game before halftime.
Spain coach
Vicente del Bosque replaced the ineffective Nolito at the interval, bringing on
the more powerful Aritz Aduriz, and he immediately combined with Alvaro Morata
who could only head straight at Buffon.
Eder then
ghosted past the Spanish defence at the other end, forcing De Gea into a big
block as the Azzurri looked to double their advantage.
Iniesta’s
rasping volley was tipped over by Buffon, before Pique’s curling effort kept
the 38-year-old busy in the closing stages.
But with Aduriz
being replaced by Pedro late on, Italy held on firmly and Pelle finally buried
the Spaniards with a half volley in stoppage time.
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