The English wanted this final! By qualifying in overtime at the expense of the Danes, Gareth Southgate's men will be able to play a first final that has eluded them since 1966. It will be against Roberto Mancini's Italy on Sunday 11 July. A first at this level.
Until Sunday, these two football giants had never faced each other in the final. Almost an anomaly when you remember that England invented football and that Italy has four stars on its jersey. By winning against Denmark (2-1, ap) Wednesday night at Wembley, the Three Lions are guaranteed to finally play a new final of a major tournament, again in their sacred temple, fifty-five years after the triumph English at the 1966 World Cup.
This shock against Italy, unprecedented at this level of the competition, will sound like a revenge in the quarter-final of Euro 2012, won on penalties by the Azzurri (0-0 ap, 4-2 tab) . In this competition, the two teams crossed swords once before that, it was in Turin in 1990. Tardelli had put in a small goal, enough to pocket the points of victory in the group stage. In a major finals, Italy simply never lost to England.
In all, the two teams have faced each other 27 times, the Azzurri winning 11 times against 8 for England. Eight times, the two teams parted with a draw. _AF
Probable compositions teams :
Italy: Donnarumma, Di Lorenzo, Bonucci, Chiellini, Emerson; Barella, Jorginho, Verratti; Chiesa, Motionless, Badge. Absent: Spinazzola (Achilles tendon)
England: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw; Phillips, Rice; Saka, Mount, Sterling; Kane
The final kicks off on Sunday 11 July at 15 p.m. (SXM) at Wembley Stadium (London).
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