ROME, Sept. 6: Italy created a new record of 36-game unbeaten run on Sunday, despite being held to a 0-0 draw by Switzerland in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
The Azzurri leveled the unbeaten record set by Brazil and Spain on Thursday after a 1-1 tie with Bulgaria.
Having smashed Switzerland 3-0 in the group game of Euro 2020, Italy had a couple of chances on Sunday's fixture, but goalkeeper Yann Sommer made a string of saves, including a penalty attempt from Jorginho.
Italy continued its lead with 11 points in Group C, four points ahead of Switzerland who has two games in hand.
Roberto Mancini's side will host Lithuania on Wednesday.
LONDON, July 6 : Italy qualified for the final of the European Championships after beating Spain in a dramatic penalty shoot out at Wembley after 120 minutes football had ended 1-1.
Although Spain keeper Unai Simon saved the first Italian penalty taken by Manuel Locatelli, Dani Olmo fired over for the Spanish and Alvaro Morata saw his spot kick saved before Jorginho calmly slotted home to send the Italians into the final.
It was harsh on the Spanish, who played arguably their best football of the tournament and should have won the game in 90 minutes.
The only change made by Italy coach Roberto Mancini ahead of the game, was to bring Emerson in at left back for the injured Leonardo Spinazzola, while Luis Enrique brought Eric Garcia for Pau Torres in defense, while Dani Olmo and Mikel Oyarzabal replaced Alvaro Morata and Pablo Sarabia, who has a muscle injury
The Spain coach was clearly looking for greater mobility and a high line of pressure against an organized Italian defense and after an even opening five minutes, Spain took control by swamping Jorginho and Verratti with their midfield pressure.
Oyarzabal wasted the first chance to open the scoring when he mis-controlled Pedri's pass when clean through on goal.
Ferran Torres then shot wide and Del Olmo saw a shot well saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma, while Italy had a chance only for Barella to be crowded out with Spain keeper Unai Simon out of his ground.
Italy had controlled the ball in their earlier games and were clearly uncomfortable against Spain's pace and aggression.
They failed to manage a single shot until Unai palmed away Emerson's effort in the 45th minute, while the Spanish will have been disappointed at not working Donnarumma more despite their dominance.
The second half started as the first ended with Di Lorenzo putting Olmo's cross out for a corner with Torres waiting to pounce, before Sergio Busquets fired just over after a pass from Oyarzabal.
At the other end Unai got down well to save from Chiesa after a rare Italy break, before Oyarzabal's effort went straight at Donnarumma from outside of the area.
Chiesa put Italy ahead with a curling shot into the corner of the net in the 60th minute after Eric Garcia allowed him to cut inside and pick his spot.
Luis Enrique reacted quickly with Alvaro Morata and Gerard Moreno quickly on the pitch, but things looked to be going Italy's way as they took the pace out of the game until the 80th minute when Morata collected the ball in midfield, exchanged passes with Olmo and scored with a low finish.
In extra time the impressive Olmo almost surprised everyone with a low free kick, with the ball pinging around the area before bouncing out. Donnarumma then punched clear as Morata threatened to pounce.
The second period of extra time saw little in the way of chances and the game went into the dramatic penalty shoot-out.
(Xinhua)
July 4: The UEFA Euro 2020 semi-final ties have been confirmed following the completion of the quarter-finals.
Spain and Italy will clash for one of the semi-finals with Spain beating Switzerland on penalty shoot outs and Italy edging past Belgium.
Similarly, Denmark beat Czech Republic 2-1 to meet England in another semi-final clash who thrashed Ukraine 4-0.
Semi-finals
Italy vs Spain (00:45, Tuesday 6 July, London)
This is the fourth straight Euro in which Italy have played Spain. At UEFA Euro 2008, Spain won 4-2 on penalties after a 0-0 quarter-final draw in Vienna.
Four years later, they drew 1-1 in the group stage in Gdańsk and then met again in the Kyiv final, Spain winning 4-0.
Italy turned the tables with a 2-0 round of 16 win at Stade de France.
In 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying, they drew 1-1 in Italy and Spain won 3-0 at home, and they have another semi-final lined up in October in the UEFA Nations League in Milan.
England vs Denmark (00:45, Wednesday 7 July, London)
England and Denmark have met once at a Euro, a 0-0 draw in the 1992 group stage in Malmö.
Ten years later, England won their World Cup round of 16 tie 3-0 in Niigata.
More recently in the UEFA Nations League, it was 0-0 in Copenhagen in September 2020 before Denmark won 1-0 at Wembley a month later thanks to a Christian Eriksen penalty.
Final
Italy/Spain vs England/Denmark (00:45, Sunday 11 July, London)
Source: UEFA
ST PETERSBURG, July 2 : Three-time European champion Spain needed to fight until penalty shootout to see off 10-man Switzerland in St Petersburg on Friday, reaching the semifinals of the Euro 2020 by 4-2.
The two teams tied in 1-1 in regular time and could'n't split after the extra time. But Spain finally wrap it up by winning the penalty shot 3-1.
The opening goal of the match came eight minutes after the start when Jordi Alba's low shot outside the box was diverted into net by Swiss midfielder Denis Zakaria's leg.
Spain kept their dominance in possession in the second half but Xherdan Shaqiri brought Switzerland back as the Swiss captain pushed Remo Freuler's pass into net in the the 68th minute.
Switzerland were resilient enough to drag Spain into extra time even though Freuler was sent off in the 77th minute. But they couldn't keep lucky in the shootout as they were against France.
Spain will face the winners between Belgium and Italy in London's Wembley Stadium next Tuesday.
(Xinhua)
July 2: The quarter-finals are scheduled to kick off with Switzerland facing Spain and Belgium taking on Italy.
While Switzerland are looking for another upset against Spain, Belgium and Italy both put long winning runs on the line.
21:45 NST: Switzerland vs Spain (Saint Petersburg)
The winners of Monday's two epic round of 16 ties raise the curtain on the last-eight drama, with history clearly favouring Spain. These nations have met 22 times and Switzerland have won just once – a group fixture at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where Spain of course went on to triumph in the final.
But Monday's action taught everyone to take nothing for granted, as Spain discovered when leading Croatia 3-1 with five minutes to go, only to have to play extra time; Switzerland made a similar comeback against France before winning on penalties, their first triumph in a major tournament knockout match since the 1938 World Cup, before the inaugural EURO had even been played. Switzerland will certainly not want a repeat of their last World Cup knockout game: a 1-0 round of 16 loss to Sweden at this stadium in St Petersburg in 2018.
Key stat: Yann Sommer saved two penalties (both from Sergio Ramos) the last time these countries faced off, in the UEFA Nations League in Basel on 14 November 2020, though Gerard Moreno's 89th-minute equaliser earned Spain a 1-1 draw.
00:45 NST : Belgium vs Italy (Munich)
Not all of the quarter-final line-up has worked out as predicted but plenty would have pencilled in this tie. Even so, Belgium ended up having to oust holders Portugal to make it here, and it took an extra-time period with a competition record-equalling three goals for Italy to earn their berth in overcoming Austria. Both of these sides cruised through the group stage, however, and have the tournament's only remaining perfect records following the Netherlands' elimination.
Their success over Austria ensured Italy are now on a 31-game unbeaten run, breaking an Azzurri best that had stood since 1939, with their winning streak at 12.
Yet Belgium themselves are 13 matches without defeat, despite having to deal with a string of injuries, and for Friday they are sweating on the fitness of Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard – it does not look promising.
Key stat: Both Italy and Belgium have won their last 14 UEFA European Championship matches, including qualifying, meaning they now share the overall competition record with the host nation on Friday, Germany.
KATHMANDU, June 25: Health supplies essential for the treatment and control of COVID-19 provided by Italy to Nepal arrived at Tribhuvan International Airport this morning.
The medical assistance includes 20 ventilators, 6,000 isolation gowns and 10,000 protective medical supplies. The medical goods were given to Nepal by Italy through the European Union's Civil Protection Mechanism.
EU Ambassador to Nepal Nona Deprez handed over the assistance to Dr Roshan Pokharel, Chief Expert at the Ministry of Health and Population today itself .
On the occasion, she said that the Union and its member countries were assisting Nepal to cope with the current COVID-19 crisis, adding that the assistance would help in the treatment and prevention of the pandemic and in the strengthening of Nepal's public health sector. On behalf of the Ministry, Dr Pokharel thanked Italy for extending helping hands to Nepal during these hard times.
He vowed for right use and utilization of the assistance materials. As he said, the materials will be distributed to all provinces. Prior to this, Nepal had received this kind of assistance from EU members Spain, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Malta, Denmark and Ireland, it is said.
1670251367_1024.jpeg)
