Switzerland 2-0 Italy: Defending champion knocked out by Freuler & Vargas goals

HOLDERS Italy have crashed out of Euro 2024 as a triumphant Switzerland secured their quarter-final place after a 2-0 victory in Berlin.

Match Report

The Swiss will face either England or Slovakia after a dull showing from the holders - who head home.

The Swiss took a deserved lead inside 37 minutes after Remo Freuler's neat low volley into the bottom corner from eight yards.

It was the fourth time The Azzurri were behind at the tournament - but this time they failed to comeback.

And the Swiss doubled their lead just 27 SECONDS after the restart through Ruben Vargas' stunning curling top-corner strike.

Straight after giving the ball away from the centre-kick Italy retreated, giving Vargas loads of room right at the edge of the box.

And it was a rather feeble exit for Italy who missed the suspended Riccardo Calafiori at centre-back.

The defending champions failed to string simple passes together and looked knackered from the offset.

Italy did hit the post in the 73 minute - but was a poor effort from Gianluca Scamacca who hit the ball with the side of his foot.

Line-ups

Switzerland XI: Sommer, Rodriguez, Xhaka, Schar, Freuler, Embolo, Akanji, Michel Aebischer, Rubén Vargas, Dan Ndoye, Fabian Rieder

Subs: Zuber, Shaqiri, Mvogo, Steffen, Elvedi, Gregor Kobel, Zakaria, Vincent Sierro, Cédric Zesiger, Kwadwo Duah, Noah Okafor, Leonidas Stergiou, Ardon Jashari, Zeki Amdouni

Italy XI: Darmian, El Shaarawy, Di Lorenzo, Cristante, Barella, Scamacca, G. Mancini, Donnarumma, Bastoni, Chiesa, Nicolò Fagioli

Subs: Jorginho, Dimarco, Zaccagni, Meret, Guglielmo Vicario, Pellegrini, Bellanova, Frattesi, Giacomo Raspadori, Michael Folorunsho, Buongiorno, Mateo Retegui, Andrea Cambiaso, Federico Gatti