By Goal.com News on Sunday, 05 September 2021
Category: Goal.com News

LIVE: Switzerland vs Italy

90' + 3' Fassnacht gets a ball to the face as Chiellini tries to punt the ball clear. Chiellini has been as rock solid at the back for Italy as ever.

90' + 2' There'll be four more minutes of this. Can't we bring the golden goal rule back, just this once?

89' Vargas reaches the byline and wins a corner off Bonucci. Again Italy stand firm. Italy want to make a few more changes to see this result out. They'll make those now.

86' Chiesa skips two challenges and finally goes down to a shoulder barge from Zakaria just outside the box. The referee pulls play back and penalises Frei for his slightly wild tackle that caught Chiesa but didn't stop the attack.

85' Italy get through Switzerland's latest corner without much difficulty as Donnarumma saves Zakaria's shot from distance. This game has been fun in this second half.

84' Chance for Switzerland! Zakaria turns away from Chiellini in the box and lashes an effort towards the bottom right corner. Donnarumma makes the stop. Chiellini hauls Zakaria to his feet and gives him a hug in admiration.

82' Chiesa jinks inside from the right and blasts a shot against Zakaria for the corner. Sommer is at it again and pushes Zaniolo's corner away at his near post. He's great to watch.

80' Jorginho hands Switzerland possession with a slack pass. Fassnacht tries to make progress down the right for Switzerland but finds his path to goal blocked off. There's a growing tension in this match now.

78' Insigne looks to free Barella but Barella is offside. Zaniolo loses an aerial duel to Elvedi and pushes the defender over in an attempt to gain the ball. A Switzerland free-kick is the result.

76' Switzerland are growing in confidence. Garcia fires across goal from the left and it goes out for another Switzerland corner off Di Lorenzo. Italy survive as Frei has another shot blocked from the right of the box. Mancini is furious down on the touchline. His team can't afford to switch off now.

74' Switzerland get a free-kick as Di Lorenzo scythes down Vargas near the corner flag. The hosts send it in and Seferovic has a header blocked. The ball comes out to Frei who has stars in his eyes and Italy charge that down too.

72' Sommer is ridiculously good. Insigne reaches Locatelli's pass and scuffs a left-footed effort towards goal. Sommer tips it up with one hand and gets up quickly to stop it from looping over him into the net. Insigne throws his arms up as if to ask what he has to do to beat this goalkeeper.

69' Italy clear Vargas' cross from the left. Widmer follows up with another dangerous ball in and Italy get rid of that too. Switzerland are definitely looking to bombard Italy aerially.

66' Switzerland are cutting it fine. First Elvedi comes across to stop Insigne from shooting from the left of the box. Seconds later Akanji barges Insigne off the ball, also in the penalty area. Neither incident ends in an Italy penalty.

65' There's a brief lull as the sides adjust to all the recent changes. Steffen flings a cross into Italy's box and Italy head clear.

61' The two teams exchange shots on goal. Steffen fires over from distance and Sommer comfortably saves Emerson's scuffed effort from the left.

57' Switzerland take the corner short and force Italy to hand them another corner. This is a good spell for the Swiss. Italy attempt to break and Aebischer brings the attack to an end with a cynical foul on Barella.

56' Zuber's played in to the left of the box and lashes wide of the right-hand post. It takes a deflection so Switzerland will get a corner.

54' Rodriguez gives away the ball high up the pitch and Frei steams in to hand Italy a free-kick. Italy may have missed a penalty but they've still been on top in this second half so far.

50' PENALTY FOR ITALY! Rodriguez's poor touch gives Italy possession right on the edge of their box. Berardi checks inside on his left foot and gets caught by Rodriguez's sliding tackle. VAR takes a look and confirms the penalty after the referee points to the spot.

49' Seferovic tracks back and bundles Jorginho off the ball. It's an obvious free-kick.

47' Sommer punts upfield with Italy closing in around his box. The visitors will know they can up their game after that first half.

45' Italy get the second half going. Neither side has made changes at half-time.

Italy had five shots in that first half, three of them on target, but haven't been able to beat Sommer yet. Switzerland have only had one chance, Akanji's header wide not long before half-time, but you sense they could catch the European champions out if they're not careful.

It's all square between Switzerland and Italy at half-time in what has been a fairly even affair so far. Italy have had the better of the chances, but Switzerland have held their own and Sommer has proven to be more than a match for the visitors.

45' + 3' HALF-TIME: SWITZERLAND 0-0 ITALY

45' + 3' Chiellini and Bonucci come up for the free-kick. Insigne swings it in and Sommer pushes it over the crossbar! Insigne definitely intended to go for goal there. The referee immediately blows for half-time.

45' + 2' Emerson sends Immobile scampering down Italy's left. Akanji slides in on Immobile and gives away a free-kick right near the corner flag. The Swiss are unhappy as they think Akanji won the ball. 

45' + 1' There'll be two minutes added onto the end of this first half.

45' Steffen's penalised for backing into Emerson while the pair tussle for an aerial ball. The crowd whistle their disapproval.

43' The Swiss are growing in momentum as we approach half-time. Zuber's cross from the left sails over Seferovic and out of play for an Italy goal-kick.

42' Chance for Switzerland! Akanji heads just wide of the left-hand post from the set-piece. That's as close as the Swiss have come to scoring so far.

40' Switzerland get a free-kick as Chiellini charges in on Steffen, taking out the winger as he plays a first-time pass to Seferovic down the right. Seferovic initially tries to play on but the referee pulls things back when it's clear the Swiss have no advantage.

39' Barella leaves the pitch briefly as he continues to receive treatment. Di Lorenzo puts the ball out for a Switzerland throw near his own corner flag. Barella is back on now.

38' Barella takes a knock as he collides with Sow and stays down rolling around in pain. Switzerland are frustrated to put the ball out of play, giving they had a promising attack building. Barella receives some magic spray to his knee.

36' Italy are getting closer. Akanji's defensive header loops for Insigne who swipes at it in an attempt to make a connection. It's not powerful enough and Sommer catches it.

34' Insigne comes close to giving Italy the lead, latching onto Locatelli's pass to curl an effort just wide of the top right corner of Sommer's goal.

33' Insigne plays a nice ball over the top in an attempt to free Immobile. Sommer spots the danger and races out to boot it clear.

31' Switzerland get a corner as Rodriguez's cross takes a wicked deflection off Di Lorenzo and almost creeps past Donnarumma at his near post. Italy see it out.

29' Aebischer beats Chiellini down Switzerland's right but is tripped by the Italy captain. Switzerland get a free-kick. They've caused Italy some problems so far.

28' Seferovic takes a tumble in Italy's penalty area after muscling his way in to win a header. The referee takes a good look at it and decides to let play continue.

27' Steffen clips the heels of Locatelli and brings him down in Italy's half. The home crowd groan in frustration.

25' Widmer has the space down the right to fling a cross towards goal. Donnarumma has it covered. Up the other end, Sommer sweeps up a Berardi cross with Immobile lurking.

23' Italy work the ball wide right to Berardi who this time cuts inside and goes for goal on his left foot. Sommer drops low to catch the shot at his near post.

22' Insigne casually swings a right-footed cross into the penalty area from the left. It's no problem for Sommer.

20' Berardi beats Rodriguez and drills a low cross across the face of goal. It doesn't find a teammate though.

18' Zuber charges down Switzerland's left and forces Di Lorenzo to give away a corner. Rodriguez's corner is intended for the far post but ends up finding no one in Swiss colours and Italy can counter! Berardi races through on goal but can't beat Sommer at close range! Switzerland survive.

16' Seferovic almost gets on the end of a cross into Italy's box. Emerson requires treatment after powering down the left and being brought down by Steffen.

14' Berardi makes progress down the right and squares the ball for Insigne. Insigne's body shape is all wrong though and he blazes over from just inside the box.

12' Chance for Italy! Immobile sneaks behind Switzerland's back line and gets a shot away but it's blocked. The rebound lands to Insigne whose shot bounces up into Sommer's arms.

11' Italy are passing the ball around without really getting anywhere. Seferovic almost gets lucky as Emerson's crossfield pass to Bonucci hits his head but the ball deflects kindly into the path of Donnarumma.

9' Italy keep hold of the ball in their own defensive third, attracting boos from the Swiss home support. Emerson tries to escape the attentions of Steffen and ends up getting caught for his trouble, winning a free-kick.

7' Chiellini looks to play a pass down the line for Insigne but it's unsuccessful. Italy keep the pressure on and Sommer eventually punts the ball out for a throw-in.

5' Insigne darts inside and finds himself on the receiving end of Sow's outstretched foot. The free-kick goes Italy's way.

3' Switzerland clear the free-kick but Italy come away with possession. They soon hand it back to the Swiss though.

2' Aebischer gives away the first foul of the game, stopping Barella from beating him during an Italy counter-attack. 

1' Switzerland get this game underway!

The two teams are out on the pitch at a packed St. Jakob-Park. Switzerland are wearing their all-red home colours. Italy will play wearing all-white.

There are four changes to Italy's line-up from their draw with Bulgaria. Their captain Chiellini starts in defence. Di Lorenzo, Locatelli and Berardi also come in.

Switzerland boss Murat Yakin makes five changes to the side that defeated Greece 2-1 in their friendly match four days ago as Switzerland change to four at the back. Their defence has more of a first-choice feel about it as Akanji, Elvedi and Sommer, heroes of their run to the Euro 2020 quarter-finals, come in.

SUBS: Nicolo Zaniolo, Matteo Pessina, Giacomo Raspadori, Bryan Cristante, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Salvatore Sirigu, Marco Verratti, Alessandro Bastoni, Federico Chiesa, Rafael Toloi, Davide Calabria, Pierluigi Gollini.

ITALY (4-3-3): Gianluigi Donnarumma; Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini (c), Emerson; Nicolo Barella, Jorginho, Manuel Locatelli; Domenico Berardi, Ciro Immobile, Lorenzo Insigne.

SUBS: Ulisses Garcia, Sandro Lauper, Fabian Schar, Andi Zeqiri, Dan Ndoye, Cedric Zesiger, Christian Fassnacht, Yvon Mvogo, Jordan Lotomba, Ruben Vargas, Gregor Kobel, Denis Zakaria.

SWITZERLAND (4-3-2-1): Yann Sommer (c); Silvan Widmer, Nico Elvedi, Manuel Akanji, Ricardo Rodriguez; Michel Aebischer, Djibril Sow, Fabian Frei; Renato Steffen, Steven Zuber; Haris Seferovic.

Italy's 1-1 draw with Bulgaria a few days ago showed that the European champions are not infallible. Roberto Mancini's team remain four points clear at the top of Group C though and will be looking to get back to winning ways here, as well as making it a record 36 games unbeaten.

The two favourites to qualify for Qatar from Group C face off here as Switzerland welcome Italy to Basel. Switzerland sit second in the group at the moment with two wins from two games. After forcing France and Spain to penalty shootouts at Euro 2020, Switzerland will not be cowed by the competition's eventual winners.

Hello! Welcome to our live text commentary of this 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group C between Switzerland and Italy at St. Jakob-Park, Basel.

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