End of the world as Italy crash out
Italians miss out on the finals as Swedes claim another scalp
Mamma mia, here we go again. Not content with seizing their most famous expression of despair and turning it into a pop hit and a West End musical, the Swedes have returned to haunt italy.
This time they hit the italians where it really hurts: stealing their pride, strangling their dreams and producing a World Cup finals without the azzurri for the first time since 1958.
The shock will take time to digest and there will be an inevitable inquest but goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, having won his 175th and last international cap, tackled the humiliation with typical dignity.
‘i’m not sorry for myself but all of italian football,’ said the 39-yearold, who was beaten by a deflected Jakob Johansson strike in the first-leg in Stockholm on Friday which proved the only goal of a twolegged tie. ‘We failed at something which also means something on a social level. There is regret at finishing like that.
‘ Blame is shared equally between everyone. There cannot be scapegoats. Win together, lose together. We have pride, strength and we are stubborn. We know how to get back up again as we’ve always done.
‘i am leaving an italy side that will know how to speak for itself. Hugs to everyone, especially those i’ve shared this wonderful journey with.’
Buffon, a world champion in 2006, knows football defines italy and can unite the country when the azzurri are successful. Four times they have won the World Cup and twice they have been beaten in the final.
images of Toto Schillaci, Roberto Baggio, Luigi Riva, marco Tardelli and Dino Zoff are woven into the history of the competition. as, indeed, are upsets at the hands of North Korea and South Korea and in the last two finals when they failed to climb out of the group.
Usually, however, the italians can depend on reaching the finals. Not this time. Having finished second in a qualifying group won by Spain, they proved unable to score against Sweden in 180 minutes.
The damage was done in Stockholm where a one-goal advantage gave Jan andersson the chance to showcase his team’s brilliant collective spirit and discipline.
Gian Piero Ventura, who replaced antonio Conte after Euro 2016, is history. Chelsea manager Conte and Carlo ancelotti, out of work since he was fired by Bayern munich, are sure to be among those in demand.
in the San Siro, Ventura’s side dominated but it counted for little as they squandered chances and appealed desperately for intervention from the referee. No sooner had the game kicked off than marco Parolo was tumbling around in the box in search of a penalty.
matteo Darmian had a better case in the second half when felled by mikael Lustig but Spanish referee antonio mateu Lahoz awarded a free-kick to the Swedes for handball. it was a strange decision by Lahoz, especially since he ignored two clear handball offences by italy in the first half.
Ciro immobile thought he had found a way through in the first half when he collected a pass from Jorginho and forced it past Robin Olsen but the Swedish goalkeeper managed to take some of the pace off the shot. andreas Grandqvist, a 32-yearold former Wigan centre half who was immense in central defence, dashed back to clear.
Other italian efforts flashed wide, a cross from alessandro Florenzi hit the woodwork and Olsen made saves to heighten the frustration. Ultimately, not unlike England in the Euros against iceland, italy became paralysed by the prospect of defeat.
Sweden, having helped to dispose of Holland in the qualifying group, claimed another illustrious scalp on their way to Russia.