Italy reach Euro 2024 after tense draw with Ukraine

Posted by World Wide Tickets And Hospitality on November 21st, 2023

Italy qualified for Euro 2024 after a 0-0 draw with Ukraine in their final Group C qualifier on Monday, although the Ukrainians can still secure a place in the knockout stages. European champions Italy euro cup teamfinished second, level on 14 points with third-placed Ukraine but with a better head-to-head record after a tight contest that could have gone either way.

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The Italians are six points behind England, who completed qualification after beating Italy 3-1 at Wembley in October. Ukraine, who had never beaten Italy, had strong claims for a penalty after Brian Cristante's clumsy challenge on Mykhailo Mudryk in stoppage time, but nothing was awarded.

They can still book their place at a fourth European Championship in a row via the play-offs in March. The knockout draw will take place on Thursday in Nyon. Ukraine showed that they are a well-equipped team and they gave us trouble, Italy coach Luciano Spalletti told Rai Sport.

“Today we played a good match because in the first half we had many opportunities to consolidate the result. Then when we failed to do that, the match became more dirty and physical. They brought in more physical players, but at that point they weren't playing football anymore."

Lively Start of Euro Cup 2024

The match got off to a lively start but both goalkeepers - Italian Gianluigi Donnarumma and Ukrainian Anatoly Trubin - held out in a spectacular encounter at the BayArena in Leverkusen. Italy, playing their eighth straight Euro match, had the most possession and created the most chances, but Ukraine remained calm and prepared for a counter-attack.

Italy's Federico Chiesa had a chance to break the deadlock in the seventh minute but his shot from inside the box sailed just over the crossbar before Donnarumma denied Ukraine an opportunity to open the scoring seven minutes later by denying Georgiy Sudakov's low shot.

Defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo then nearly nodded Italy's header in from a corner just before the half-hour mark, before Trubin made a stunning save to deny Davide Frattesi's shot. Italy continued to dominate after the break, but Ukraine stepped up their attacks and Mudryk came close in the 66th minute, only to be denied by Donnarumma with another penalty save.

We are very happy, Donnarumma said. We are where we deserve to be, despite all the difficulties we had, but thanks to the new coach and squad we are back. Under Spalletti, who took over from Roberto Mancini in August, Italy won three times, drew two and lost once. They failed to qualify for last year's World Cup in Qatar. The Euro Cup 2024 will be held in Germany.

Relieved Italy pledge to 'repeat something fantastic' at Euro 2024

Italy midfielder Davide Frattesi said with relief the European champions will try to "repeat something fantastic" in Germany next year after Monday's 0-0 draw with Ukraine in Leverkusen secured qualification for Euro 2024.

The result means Italy, who failed to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups either side of their Euro 2020 triumph, avoided another embarrassing miss at the tournament. In Group C, both countries finish tied 14 points behind England, but Italy have the best head-to-head record, winning 2-1 in Milan in September.

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We knew that if we didn't manage to break the deadlock in the first hour, it would be very difficult. Ukraine then made the match more physical, Frattesi told RAI Sport. We were under pressure, but overall it was a good game. The important thing is that we have qualified...

“We suffered, but it was important to get through. Now we’ll try to repeat something fantastic.”

Euro Cup 2024 - Powerful Clash in Leverkusen

The final score belied the true nature of the match: Italy's powerful attack and the threat of a Ukrainian counterattack created several chances for both teams. Ukraine's appeal against a late penalty was rejected despite Italy midfielder Brian Cristante hoping to have touched Mikhail Mudryk's leg in stoppage time.

From my point of view, it was a penalty, but again I wasn’t there, and it’s just a matter of my emotions,” Ukrainian national team coach Sergei Rebrov said at the post-match press conference. Italy went to Leverkusen knowing they would make progress by avoiding defeat, while Ukraine knew only a win would be enough.

New Italy coach Luciano Spalletti has been at the helm for just three months after Roberto Mancini unexpectedly left for the Saudi Arabian national team job. We needed to keep attacking, but Ukraine proved that they are a very good team that gave us a lot of problems,” said Spalletti, who led Napoli to their first Serie A title since 1990 last season.

In the draw for the tournament, which will take place on December 2 in Hamburg, Italy will fall into either the third or fourth pot. Spalletti added that his team would take a moment to pat themselves on the back before turning their attention to the final in Germany, where they triumphed at the 2006 World Cup.

“Now the level will rise. Now the fun begins."

Midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo said his side's nervy qualifying campaign, which included two defeats to England and a draw with North Macedonia, would not dampen their title defense hopes. We had the right motivation. Italy must go to the Euro not only to take part, but also to compete to become defending champions.

Ukraine head into Euro Cup play-offs

Ukraine, forced to play Euro Cup Germany due to the ongoing conflict with Russia, can still qualify but will need to qualify for the knockout stage in March 2024. Mudryk was active on the left flank for Ukraine and created a number of half-chances. early and his team bowed out due to poor finishing.

The Italians' dominance in possession began to tell after half an hour, with Federico Chiesa making a flowing pass towards goal that eluded a desperate Davide Frattesi. Italy continued to attack early in the second half, but as the game progressed the Italians became increasingly nervous, giving Ukraine more space in front.

Mudryk was always a threat and appeared to be brought down in the box after making contact with Cristante, but the referee waved off his team's desperate pleas for a penalty.

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