Italy crush England’s dreams after winning Euro 2020 on penalties.
After reaching the semi-finals at the 2018 World Cup, they made it one step further by reaching the finals. But it all ended tearful for England and Southgate again as it was ta penalty shootout loss again which extended 55 years of hurt and pain.
For the fans of England and their generation, this is a new kind of disappointment. Gauth Southgate’s young, vibrant side brought hope to the nation and their fans again, but at full time it was his young stars who were left in tears.
Luke Shaw scored England’s first goal less than two minutes after a wonderful Kieron Trippier cross. His first international goal came at the perfect time.
The game became more nervous for Southgate’s men when Italy began to gain control, winning the midfield battle with Robbie Keane and Jorginho pulling the strings.
Southgate’s players sat back in the second half to soak up the pressure while the Azzurri turned up the heat.
In the 67th minute, Leonard Bonucci scored the equalizer when England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford deflected Marco Verratti’s header against the post, and Bonucci tapped in the loose ball.
Until the 70th minute, Declan Rice was the only player to stand up and try to drive England forward.
Italy beat England 3-2 on penalties after the Euro 2020 final ended 1-1 following extra time at Wembley on Sunday to secure their second European Championship title.
Penalty Shoot Out
Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was the hero for the Azzurri in the shootout, while substitutes Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka failed to convert from the spot for England.
Following the shootout loss, Southgate was criticized for selecting inexperienced players who hadn’t been able to get into the flow of the match before the end.
Both Rashford and Sancho have scored penalty kicks for their clubs, as well as featured in high-profile Champions League matches, which gave them a good chance of being selected for the England kickers.
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