REPUBLIC OF IRELAND 1 : 0 ITALY
A header five minutes from time by Stoke’s Robbie Brady sent the Irish Republic through to the last 16. Wes Hoolahan provided a quality delivery that the Dublin born midfielder read better than the Italian defenders.
It was no more than the Irish deserved in a technically dire and frustrating game. They provided all the energy, effort and hunger whereas an Italian team full of reserves contributed nothing to the proceedings bar second rate performances.
Italy coach Antonio Conte made eight changes from the last match. With his side already qualified, he chose to rest most of his first team.
The Irish needing a win made hay of that in a first half in which they were the better side. Italy were disjointed and lacked team cohesion with a long range drive from Ciro Immobile being their only effort of note.
The Irish looked like a slightly above average side playing an average one, but spent too much time in the first half trying to pressure Transylvanian referee Hategan into assisting their quest for a goal, rather than just getting on with the game.
James McClean was already going down by his own steam when he felt Italian defender Federico Bernardeschi at his back. Having got goalside of the defender, the Ulsterman should have done better than to go to ground trying to con the referee into awarding a penalty.
With 21, there were more fouls in the first half of this match than any other Euro 2016 match, and the least number of successful passes at 234. The second half could only be better. And it was.
Most of the efforts in the second were off target, and neither side looked good enough to deliver quality shots inside the box. Immobile volleyed a rare chance over the bar and Italy had their best moment when substitute Lorenzo Insigne of Napoli hit the post, with a right footed effort with swerve and curl in the 75th minute. Such a goal would have been more than Italy deserved.
Five minutes from time, the goal that sent the Irish fans into raptures finally arrived. Wes Hoolahan sent in a wonderful cross from the right which Brady headed home.
The Republic of Ireland will join Northern Ireland in the last 16 where the southern variety will face hosts France, and the northern men will face neighbors Wales.
Italy: Sirigu, Barzagli, Bonucci, Ogbonna, Bernardeschi, Sturaro, Thiago Motta, Florenzi, De Sciglio, Zaza, Immobile. Subs: Buffon, Chiellini, Darmian, Candreva, Pelle, De Rossi, Eder, Parolo, Insigne, El Shaarawy, Giaccherini, Marchetti.
Rep of Ireland: Randolph, Coleman, Duffy, Keogh, Ward, Hendrick, McClean, McCarthy, Brady, Long, Murphy. Subs: Westwood, Clark, O’Shea, Whelan, McGeady, Keane, Walters, Christie, Meyler, Hoolahan, Quinn, Given.
Referee: Ovidiu Alin Hategan (Romania)
