June 29, (THEWILL) – Switzerland caused an upset at the ongoing Euro 2024 when they eliminated defending champions Italy with a 2-0 victory in the Round of 16.
The match, held at Berlin’s Olympiastadion, saw the Swiss national team deliver a masterclass performance, reminiscent of their triumph against France in the previous tournament.
Remo Freuler opened the scoring for Switzerland with a spectacular volley just before halftime. The Bologna midfielder’s goal set the tone for what would become a memorable night for Swiss football. Ruben Vargas doubled the lead shortly after the restart with a stunning curled effort, effectively sealing Italy’s fate.
Despite Italy’s attempts to mount a comeback, including a close call from Gianluca Scamacca who hit the post, the Swiss defence remained resolute. Manuel Akanji and Fabian Schär were particularly impressive, thwarting numerous Italian attacks and preserving their clean sheet.
The result marks Switzerland’s first victory over Italy in nine encounters and only their second since the 1954 World Cup. For Italy, the defeat raises questions about the future of manager Luciano Spalletti, whose team’s lacklustre performance fell far short of expectations.
Switzerland now advance to the quarter-finals, where they will face either England or Slovakia. Their impressive display against Italy has firmly established them as dark horses in the tournament, with many now wondering how far this determined Swiss side can go in EURO 2024.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
