HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD GIVES HOPE TO ITALY
World Cup 2014 group stage, Manaus — England 1 Italy 2 (Sturridge 37; Marchisio 35, Balotelli 59).
THE Amazonian heat of Manaus was too much for England in their 2014 opener as Mario Balotelli’s header just after the break settled a thrilling match after Daniel Sturridge cancelled out Claudio Marchisio’s fine opener. TV watchers thought Raheem Sterling had scored when his long shot rippled the side-netting.
Euro 2012 quarterfinal, Kyiv — England 0 Italy 0 (Italy win 4-2 on penalties).
A GAME remembered for Andrea Pirlo’s silky Panenka penalty, which fooled Joe Hart in the shoot-out after a timid game in Kyiv. Ashley Young hit the bar with his penalty and Ashley Cole saw his saved by Gianluigi Buffon.
World Cup 1990 third-place play-off, Bari — Italy 2 England 1 (Baggio 70, Schillaci 86 pen; Platt 81).
ROBERTO BAGGIO (left) and Salvatore Schillaci scored as Italy took the bronze medal on home soil in Bobby Robson’s last match in
Euro 1980 group stage, Turin — England 0 Italy 1 (Tardelli 78).
MARCO Tardelli’s late strike settled this match in Turin. Ron Greenwood’s England lacked firepower in lieu of Trevor Francis. England failed to qualify for the next round.
10 This is Italy’s tenth major tournament final, with only Germany (14) having played more of European nations. Italy have lost their last two Euro finals (2000 and 2012) — only Germany and USSR (three) have finished runner-up more at the Euros.
■ Italy are unbeaten in their last 33 matches in all competitions (W27 D6), scoring 86 goals and conceding just ten in this run. This is the record for the nation.
1 England have only beaten Italy once in a competitive match, which was a World Cup qualifier in November 1977. Kevin Keegan and Trevor Brooking scored for Ron Greenwood’s men.
■ Italy’s Roberto Mancini will be just the second manager to have won the English top-flight title to take charge of a European nation in a major tournament final, after Alf Ramsey who won the English top flight with Ipswich and the 1966 World Cup with England.