New Telegraph

Euro 2020: Italy needs extra time to beat battling Austria

…as Wales out after being thrashed by Denmark

Italy needed extra time to see off battling Austria at Wembley and set up a Euro 2020 quarter-final against Belgium or Portugal.
Austria marked their first appearance in the knockout stage of the European Championship with a tireless performance to give their much-fancied opponents a scare.
Marko Arnautovic had a headed goal disallowed after a VAR check for offside in normal time when the game was goalless before goals from substitutes Federico Chiesa and Matteo Pessina sent Italy through.
Chiesa showed terrific technique to bring the ball down and beat Daniel Bachmann from an angle while Pessina, who scored in the group game against Wales, doubled the score from range.
Austria pulled a goal back through Sasa Kalajdzic’s brave header, the first goal Italy have conceded in 12 games, but the Azzurri march on.
Italy had the best of the first-half chances as Nicolo Barella was denied by Austria’s Watford keeper before Ciro Immobile struck the post from 25 yards.
Austria produced a terrific defensive display to frustrate the four-time world champions, while creating opportunities of their own.
Arnautovic put one chance over the bar and, with another, fired straight at the keeper, while David Alaba went close from a free-kick before the disallowed goal.
Italy will meet the winners of Sunday’s last-16 game between Belgium, the top-ranked side in the world, and holders Portugal in the quarter-finals on 2 July.
And earlier, Wales were eliminated in the second round of Euro 2020 as they were thrashed by Denmark, whose inspiring journey at the tournament continues to the quarter-finals.
Backed by a fervent and almost exclusively Danish crowd, the Danes led midway through the first half as Kasper Dolberg curled in an excellent strike from the edge of the penalty area.
Dolberg struck again early in the second half as he seized on a defensive error from Wales substitute Neco Williams to smash in from close range, reports the BBC.
That goal deflated Wales, who never looked like clawing their way back into the game as Joakim Maehle added a late third for the jubilant Danes.
Wales substitute Harry Wilson was then shown a straight red card for a foul on Maehle before Martin Braithwaite struck a fourth goal in added time as Wales’ exhausting campaign ended miserably.
Wales had performed well to get out of a difficult Group A which also featured Italy, Switzerland and Turkey, but this impressive Danish side proved a challenge too far for Robert Page’s men.
Denmark had already provided the uplifting story of Euro 2020, showing admirable resolve to reach this stage having been galvanised by midfielder Christian Eriksen’s recovery from a cardiac arrest.
The next stop on their fairy-tale voyage will be Baku for a quarter-final against the Netherlands or the Czech Republic next Saturday.
As for Wales, they will return home exhausted but, in time, proud of their efforts in reaching the knockout stages again in only their third appearance at a major tournament.
RESULTS
Italy 2 – 1 Austria
Wales 0 – 4 Denmark

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