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Italy see off battling Austria to join Denmark in Euro 2020 quarters
  • | afp | June 27, 2021 05:14 PM
Italy overcame stubborn Austria 2-1 in extra-time at Wembley on Saturday to reach the Euro 2020 quarter-finals as Denmark breezed through by hammering Wales 4-0.

  

Kasper Dolberg's double against Wales helped propel Denmark into the quarter-finals of Euro 2020

Source:AFP


Roberto Mancini's side, who earned rave reviews after their cruise through the group phase, were made to work hard for their win and had super subs Federico Chiesa and Matteo Pessina to thank.

Italy's fans gave a rousing rendition of their national anthem and were the more enterprising team in the first half but Austria came back strongly after the break and cursed a VAR decision to rule out a goal for Marko Arnautovic 20 minutes into the second half.

But Chiesa made the crucial breakthrough five minutes into extra-time and another goal from Pessina gave Italy a two-goal cushion.

Mancini, who has rebuilt the Azzurri after their humiliating failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, said his side "deserved" the result.

"We won thanks to the players who came on with the right mindset and resolved the situation. I knew it would be hard, maybe even more so than in the quarter-finals."

Earlier, Denmark eased into the quarter-finals with a 4-0 win over Wales in Amsterdam's Johan Cruyff Arena thanks to two goals from Kasper Dolberg's and late goals from Joakim Maehle and Martin Braithwaite.

They will face the Netherlands or Czech Republic in the quarter-finals after winning a knockout tie at the European Championship for the first time since they stunned the continent by winning the tournament in 1992.

"It is hard to believe that this is reality," said coach Kasper Hjulmand. "Johan Cruyff is one of my great inspirations and this was also Christian's first home after leaving Denmark.

Wales, surprise semi-finalists at Euro 2016, found the majority of the stadium filled by Danish supporters, with fans barred from entering the Netherlands from Britain due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The Nice forward, brought into the team as a replacement for Yussuf Poulsen, then pounced on a poor clearance by Neco Williams to fire home a second just after half-time.

Braithwaite rubbed further salt into Welsh wounds with a fourth goal in stoppage time as Denmark became the first team in European Championship history to score four in successive matches.

"To finish how we did is disappointing... the boys are frustrated and angry, but I'd rather we go out like that, kicking and screaming, than laying off and doing nothing."

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