Ireland will follow the path of its northern neighbors
and, after defeating an Italy full of alternates 0-1, qualified for the second
time in its history for the second phase of the European Championship, where
they will face against hosts France.
a feat for a team playing with five players from second
division and with heart and selflessness completed full teams from the British
Isles in the second round.
Ireland put faith in their choices, passing by beating
the runner-up in Europe, an Italy that was already assured of finishing first and
jumped with a team full of alternate thinking in the match next Monday against
Spain in Saint Denis for since in the quarterfinals.
Ireland, which has already played a few quarters of a
European in 1964, when there was no group stage, will be measured in Lyon
against France, a rival that left him out of the 2010 World Cup play-off and a
goal with the hand of Thierry Henry .
But having qualified for this round is already a feat for
minnows Shamrock, sheltered by 20,000 throats who moved to Lille and whose
voices echoed in the imposing stadium, with its enclosed by the storm that was
advertised on the outside roof.
It was the last team to get the ticket for the second
round, leaving out Turkey, and did so with a goal 85 minutes Brady that did
justice to push that had given him during the match.
Italy conceded their first goal of the competition and
won his first defeat. Antonio Conte only fielded three players who had joined
the first two victories, Barzagli, Bonucci and Florenzi. Even the charismatic
Buffon, sick in recent days and threatened with suspension, left his post to
Sirigu, one of the few opportunities of goal to the longevity of the
charismatic goalkeeper Juve.
If the coach wanted to draw conclusions from this game,
the main thing is that the alternate theorists were dominated against a very
passionate Ireland but high quality. Neither Italy will be the same against
Spain, nor those of Vicente del Bosque will look nothing like the passion
Ireland.The apotheosis came when the stroke of half demanded a penalty of
Bernardeschi to McClean.
The Irish thrust was losing breath and rhythm game
because Italy was not too interested to change the tone.In 78 Insigne crashed
the ball into the bottom left corner of Randolph in the culmination of a
backlash, one of the few offensive news from Italy.
Ireland did not lose hope, he clung to his last breath,
which came when Hoolahan pulled a good run in the Italian area where Brady
managed to secure it to the network head.
