Mission accomplished! Italy also beats Sweden and qualifies for the round of 21 with one match to spare, and with full points. Only mathematics is missing for first place (it would only be in question if Ireland beat Belgium), then the party will be complete even if, paradoxically, we would almost want to finish second: the winner of group F (Hungary, Iceland, Portugal and Austria) seems much more affordable than the second of the D (Spain, Croatia or, at the limit, the Czech Republic), with which we will almost certainly have to deal. Yesterday's match, however, demonstrates how badly the calculations marry with the current Italy, more convincing in the presence of the formidable Belgium rather than the Sweden of only (and poorly supported) Ibrahimovic. A question of technical but also mental characteristics: we like playing as underdogs, and how we like it. And then ours don't have the setting of the game in their ropes but intensity and counterattacks, an ideal recipe for facing the masters of the Spanish tiki taka (and Croatia is just below), a little less against the Swedish giants. It is no coincidence that a solid but lackluster Italy emerged from Toulouse, also conditioned by the climate (playing at 15 pm is one thing, at 2000 pm another), by tiredness (just a change compared to the anti-Belgian eleven) and by fear . Yes, because we hadn't been able to win the first two games of such an important tournament since XNUMX, and the second group match had almost always put us on the ropes.
“I saw a bit of anxiety especially in the first half – confirmed Conte in the press conference. – Evidently the past weighs heavily, especially if it burns like the one two years ago. We were good at suffering and striking at the right moment, now we're in the round of 1 with a round to spare and this, considering the pessimism we had on the eve, is a great result”. He begins to remove some pebbles, our coach, a great protagonist like some truly commendable players, is not a laughing matter. Defense above all: Buffon's goal is still unbeaten (like him, in equal matches, only Neuer, De Gea and Szczesny) and the chances conceded can be counted on the fingers of one hand. And then we must mention the plunger Candreva, the possessed Jackets and all the offensive department. Yes, because the blue attack, so little considered on the eve, is instead behaving very well, albeit alternating forces. If Pellè had been decisive against Belgium, yesterday instead it was Eder's turn to take the stage: in fact, his was the great goal of the final 0-88 (XNUMX'), at the end of a spectacular action that recalled the days of Sampdoria. It is fair to say that the victory, despite Sweden's inadequacy in the offensive zone, rewards us beyond our merits: we too, in fact, didn't create so much (in addition to Eder's goal, a crossbar by Parolo should be noted) . However, the feeling of an Italy that knows how to capitalize on each match remains, from the "warlike" one like Belgium to the "tactical" one like Sweden. In short, more than a national team, we are dealing with a team whose objectives, at this point, can no longer be quantified, in one sense or another.
