Good afternoon and welcome to The42‘s live minute-by-minute coverage of the Group E meeting of Italy and Sweden — a game bound to have significant consequences for Martin O’Neill’s Ireland as they bid for a place in the last 16.
Kick-off in Toulouse is at 2pm.
The team-sheets are in. One change for Italy as Florenzi comes in for Darmian.
ITALY: Buffon (c), Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Florenzi, Candreva, Parolo, Giaccherini, De Rossi, Eder, Pelle.
Sweden boss Erik Hamren makes three changes from the side which drew 1-1 with Ireland on Monday. Erik Johannson, Albin Ekdal and John Guidetti all start; the injured Mikael Lustig, Oscar Lewicki and Marcus Berg are the men to make way.
Sweden: Isakasson, Johansson, Lindelof, Granqvist, M Olsson, S Larsson, Ekdal, Kallstrom, Forsberg, Guidetti, Ibrahimovic.
This lad has found his way out of Glenn Whelan’s pocket and made it to Toulouse.
Can Zlatan become the first man to score at four European Championships?
A quick reminder of how Group E looks ahead of kick-off.
The best result here for Ireland? An Italian win would see them safely through to the group stages with a game to spare, which might just encourage Antonio Conte to rest some key men when they meet the Boys in Green next week.
The teams are in the tunnel and the RTÉ panel have had their say.
Didi and Liam both say 2-0 to Italy; Eamon goes for a more conservative 1-0.
There’s no shortage of colour in the stands
We’ve just had our obligatory shot of Gigi Buffon BELTING out the Italian anthem so it must be nearly time for kick-off.
KICK OFF: And we’re up and running. Viktor Kassai from Hungary is the man in the middle.
First half-chance for Zlatan as Kallstrom swings in a cross from the left. Ibrahimovic is all arms and elbows as he jumps, but Chiellini gets in just in front of him and nicks it away.
Florenzi has started out wide on the left for Italy, and his first attempt at a cross is overhit and sails harmlessly behind for a goal kick.
Chance for Sweden to really test Italy’s BBC trio but Kallstrom’s free kick is poor and is easily cleared away by the first blue jersey on the edge of the 18-yard box.
Meanwhile, over at Ascot…
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Italy looking a little bit more menacing in these opening minutes. Florenzi cuts in off the left wing and tries his luck with his right foot, but it’s comfortable for Isaksson.
Bonucci keeps Sweden honest by trying to dink a ball over the top for Parolo but Olsson is covering across and manages to snuff out the danger.
Good spot by the ref! Ibrahimovic takes a tumble in the box but one quick look at the replay shows that it was a very theatrical effort to buy a peno. He stuck his leg across Barzagli before taking a tumble when the defender made contact, and Viktor Kassai rightly whistles for a free out.
Zlatan drops deep to try and make something happen for Sweden. He plays a one-two with Forsberg on the edge of the box but eventually runs straight into Candreva who dispossesses him.
Sneaky! Not sure if that was a cross or a shot from Martin Olsson but it nearly catches Buffon unawares as it whistles by his near post.
Isaksson called into action as Candreva gets to the bye-line and crosses, but the Swedish keeper gets a strong fist behind it to clear the danger.
This has already been a much better performance from Sweden. Ekdal collects the ball on the right and tries to nip past Chiellini — easier said than done, and the Italian defender blocks it behind for a corner.
Italy haven’t really been able to hang on to the ball for long enough to put their stamp on the game. Conte is gesturing furiously from the sidelines. What’s the Italian for “Put your foot on it”?
As I type, de Rossi launches the ball straight out of play. Timing.
Great defending from Candreva who is isolated one-on-one with Forsberg on the wing. Forsberg tries to push it past him and zip by, but Candreva gets his body into the right position and forces the Swede to foul him.
OOF! De Rossi crunches Zlatan, sliding in from the side just a split-second too late. It’s a free and earns him a quick rebuke from Mr Kassai.
Again Sweden waste the set piece opportunity, with the assistant flagging for offside.
Half an hour on the clock, and we’re still waiting for our first clear-cut opportunity. Sweden shading things slightly with nothing to really show for it.
There’s not a huge amount of space, but Florenzi makes a run in behind the Swedish defence. The ball from de Rossi is a fraction too late though and he has drifted offside by the time it’s played.
Bit of ping-pong here as Chiellini HOOOOOOFS the ball clear only for Sweden to bring it right back down into Italian territory.
A question: if Sweden are actually better than we gave them credit for on Monday, does that mean Ireland are really the best team in this group?
Kidding (kinda)…
CHANCES! Yes, finally! Candreva tries a deep cross but it’s cut out by a sliding Lindelof who flicks it clear.
Sweden come down the other end and Larsson chests down to Guidetti, but his snapshot is high and wide.
A half-chance! Kallstrom’s ball looks to have Italy in a bit of trouble and when Larsson chests it down, Ibrahimovic just can’t make clean contact to test Buffon.
You have to love Chiellini. He holds Ibrahmovic for just long enough at the corner to prevent him from making his run — but not long enough that the referee might be tempted to give a penalty. Dark arts right there!
HALF TIME: Italy 0-0 Sweden
No real injuries, stoppages or incident so there’s no added time.
Back in five with a fresh cup of Friday afternoon coffee.
They’re not both for me, don’t worry…
Back in Montrose, Dunphy is explaining why a draw is a pretty bad result for Ireland — essentially because it gives both Belgium and Italy lots of incentive to go out and attack us when we play.
SECOND HALF: Aaaaaaaaaaaand we’re back. No changes for either side.
More “dark arts” from Chiellini as he steps across Guidetti and blocks off his run as he tries to chase down a Buffon clearance. The referee is looking straight at it but doesn’t seem to interested. Chiellini can count himself a bit lucky there.
Little bit nervy from Sweden as Italy start to press them higher up on the pitch. Eder closes the space and Sweden end up hurriedly clearing the ball into touch.
Ouch.
Nervy from the Italians too – Buffon pings a short kickout to Giaccherini but when he touches it back to Chiellini, it all goes a bit sloppy and the ball runs out of play.
Italy just need to be a little bit smarter with their attacks. Candreva is in a good position to cross but Eder and Pelle can’t find any space in the box, so the cross is snuffed out at the near post by Isaksson.
Italy substitution: Pelle makes way for Juventus striker Simone Zaza.
If you’re watching on TV, you can probably hear the Swedish fans chanting to the tune of 2Unlimited’s all-time banger, No Limits.
The words? John John, John John John John, John John John John, John John, JOHN GUIDETTI!
Super intervention by Kallstrom who gets back just in time to put a toe in as Giaccherini prepares to pull the trigger in the box. Smashing tracking.
Good delivery from Kallstrom — but it needs to be better than good to put a keeper of Buffon’s quality in trouble. He punches clear.
I’ve used this latest lull in action to peruse the subs lists — surely you’d give one of Immobile, Insigne or El Shaarawy a run at this point?
Yellow! De Rossi goes in with his studs showing and catches Kallstrom on the instep. That’s a free and that’s a booking, no arguments.
IBRA! OFFSIDE! Oh Zlatan, you lucky lucky lucky man. He misses an absolute sitter – but his blushes are spared by the linesman’s flag. Olsson whipped in a great cross — “right in the corridor of uncertainty,” as my colleague Fintan O’Toole says — and Ibra was two yards out and unmarked at the back post. Somehow he still manages to miss the target but had the flag not gone up, that would have rivalled Milik’s howler for miss of the tournament.
Italy sub: Thiago Motta on for de Rossi
Double sub for the Swedes: Forsberg and Ekdal’s numbers are up; Durmaz and Ekdal on in their place.
Ten to play — will we get a goal?
CROSSBAR! Parolo comes within inches of giving Italy the lead! Giaccherini’s cross to the back post floats over Olsson’s head, and Parolo thumps a header off Isaksson’s crossbar. Easily the best chance of the afternoon.
More subs: One apiece — Sturaro on for Florenzi; Berg on for Guidetti.
As Stephen Alkin on RTÉ has just reminded us, there have been NINE goals in the 87th minute or later so far at this tournament.
Fingers crossed…
GOAL! ITALY! Italy 1-0 Sweden (Eder 88′)
What did I tell you?!?! The tournament of late goals lives up to its billing — and it could be a massive goal for Ireland!
A long throw, Zaza wins the header and cushions into the path of Eder who cuts back inside and then curls a beauty into the bottom corner out of Isaksson’s reach.
My days.
Granqvist pinged for a free out as Sweden try to bombard the Italian area. That could be their last chance of an equaliser.
Buffon takes all day and all night over the free kick and is booked for his troubles. Fair is fair.
BIG SHOUT FOR A SWEDISH PENALTY – WAVED AWAY!
Late late drama as Bonucci takes out both Granqvist and Olsson with a wild lunge, missing the ball entirely. The ref looks to be in a perfect position and waves it away.
My word.
FULL TIME: Italy 1-0 Sweden
It’s over. Italy are through to the last 16 and Group E is perfectly poised ahead of Ireland v Belgium tomorrow afternoon.
Oh me nerves.
So that’s it from us for now. We’ll need a couple of minutes to digest that late Italian winner — but all I’ll say for now is that if you were already pumped for tomorrow’s game, excitement levels must have just gone through the roof.
Stay with us for more reaction and analysis across the course of the afternoon. Thanks for reading.
