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Wales have qualified for the last 16 of Euro 2020 despite losing 1-0 to Italy in Rome.<\/p>\nWales have qualified for the last 16 of Euro 2020 despite losing 1-0 to Italy in Rome.<\/p>\n
Matteo Pessina scored the 39th-minute winner as Italy topped Group A with a 100 per cent record and equaled their national record of 30 games unbeaten.<\/p>\n
Wales were forced to play the last 35 minutes with 10 men after Ethan Ampadu was shown a straight red card for a late challenge on Federico Bernardeschi.<\/p>\n
Switzerland had Welsh hearts racing by establishing a 2-0 interval lead against Turkey in Baku and trimming Wales\u2019 goal difference advantage.<\/p>\n
The Swiss eventually won in 3-1, but it was not enough to leapfrog Wales and their qualification hopes now reside on being one of the four best third-placed sides.<\/p>\n
Wales instead will head to Amsterdam to play the runners-up of Group B, most likely Denmark, Finland or Russia.<\/p>\n
The prize at stake was a last-16 tie at Wembley with Austria or Ukraine the probable opponents.<\/p>\n
Italy had established themselves as one of the tournament favorites by overwhelming Turkey and Switzerland, two 3-0 wins making it 10 successive victories by the margin of 31-0.<\/p>\n
Manager Roberto Mancini had promised changes with qualification for the knockout stage already secured and made eight in the event.<\/p>\n
Leonardo Bonucci took over the captaincy from the injured Giorgio Chiellini and Marco Verratti made his first appearance of the tournament after injury.<\/p>\n
Wales also altered a winning line-up with boss Robert Page concerned over potential suspensions moving forward.<\/p>\n
Ben Davies, Chris Mepham and Kieffer Moore were carrying yellow cards and the trio were replaced by Ampadu, Chris Gunter \u2013 winning cap number 102 \u2013 and Neco Williams.<\/p>\n
The absence of targetman Moore meant Wales played Aaron Ramsey, the Juventus midfielder back on Italian soil, as a \u2018false nine\u2019 with Gareth Bale and Daniel James either side of him.<\/p>\n
There were only around 400 Wales supporters present in a Stadio Olimpico crowd of around 14,000 amid tight coronavirus restrictions.<\/p>\n
But the travelling fans made themselves heard as the action got under way and Italy set up camp in the Wales half.<\/p>\n
Emerson Palmieri forced a first save from Danny Ward and the Leicester goalkeeper was grateful that Rafael Toloi\u2019s shot flew off Pessina and straight at him.<\/p>\n
Verratti was prompting most home attacks with delightful precision, but Italy were let down by careless finishing as Andrea Belotti and Federico Chiesa dragged efforts wide.<\/p>\n
Wales did break the stranglehold briefly when Gunter, who has never scored in his long international career, headed Ramsey\u2019s corner just over the crossbar.<\/p>\n
But Italy\u2019s superiority was rewarded after Verratti had been bundled over by Joe Allen.<\/p>\n
Verratti sent in a low free-kick which Pessina met superbly on the volley to direct the ball past the helpless Ward.<\/p>\n
Bernardeschi almost doubled Italy\u2019s lead soon after the restart as his 25-yard free-kick struck a post.<\/p>\n
Wales\u2019 task got a lot tougher 10 minutes into the second period when Ampadu brought his boot down on Bernardeschi\u2019s foot and Romanian referee Ovidiu Hategan had no hesitation producing his red card.<\/p>\n
Ward saved superbly from Belotti and Bryan Cristante before Bale missed Wales\u2019 best opening 15 minutes from time.<\/p>\n
Joe Rodon directed a free-kick onto Bale\u2019s favorite left foot, but the Real Madrid forward snatched at the opportunity and skied the ball over.<\/p>\n
It was not to prove costly, though, as Wales held on and maintained their record of reaching the knockout stage of every major tournament they have competed in.<\/p>\n